iiiljil 


I     li 

!  i  iiwr 


ii: 


ill 


liiili 


'  'iiii 

!     1! 


'  '    1 '  ' 
I'll    !  ! 


I  I  I       !      V 


i    i 


!      I  !i 


IP  Pi 

tin 


ill!!!; 


liliJl! 
ill: 


THE  LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 

OF  CALIFORNIA 

LOS  ANGELES 


C^ ji,^<^C^U^  X'^ 


Cu^- 


f   / 


if?r 


Digitized  by  tine  Internet  Arcliive 

in  2007  witli  funding  from 

IVIicrosoft  Corporation 


littp://www.arcliive.org/details/autobiograpliyofeOOslieliala 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY 
EDWARD  AUSTIN  SHELDON 


Edward  Austin  Sheldon. 


Autobiography 


OF 


Edward  Austin  Sheldon 


Edited  by 
MARY  SHELDON  BARNES 


With  an  introduction  by 

ANDREW  SLOANE  DRAPER,  LL.B..  LL.D. 

Commissioner  of  Education,  State  of  New  York 


NEW  YORK 
IVES-BUTLER  COMPANY 

1911 


Copyright,  191 1,  by 
Ives-Butler  Co, 


EdncatioD 
Librar- 

0  SSS-' 


CHAPTER 
I. 
II. 
III. 

IV. 

V. 

VI. 

VII. 

VIII. 

IX. 

X. 

XL 

XII. 

XIII. 

XIV. 

XV. 

^      XVI. 

XVII. 

XVIII. 

XIX. 

XX. 

XXI. 

XXII. 

XXIII. 


CONTENTS 

PAGE 

Earliest  Recollections .- i 

The  Pioneer  Farm  Boy's  Occupations  and  Interests.  g 

Other  Farm  Industries 15 

Our  Apple  Orchard 20 

My  School  Life 23 

The  Domestic  Life  of  the  Boy  on  the  Farm 30 

The  Religious  Life  of  the  Boy  on  the  Farm s6 

Preparing  for  College 40 

Introduction  to  College  Life :  College  Associations  :  - 

1844 46 

College  Life 55 

Abandonment  of  College  Course 61 

Beginning    Life    in    Oswego:    1847;     A    Business 

Venture 66 

The  Ragged  School :  1848-1849 74 

Marriage :  1849 85 

The  "Oswego  Seminary":  1849-1851;  and  a  Digres- 
sion to  Syracuse  :  1851-1853 89 

"A  Traitor  to  His  Country" 95 

Organization  of  Free  Schools  in  Oswego:  1853 99 

The  Work  and  Results  of  the  First  Year 104 

Special  Features — Success  of  the  "Machine" 109 

The    Machine    Found    Wanting:    Advent    of    the 

"Objective  System" :  1859 116 

Life  Outside  the  School 124 

Our  Home 129 

The  Oswego  Training  School  for  Primary  Teach- 
ers :  1861 133 

V 

5503G7 


CONTENTS 


CHAPTER  PAGE 

XXIV.    Extracts  from  Eighth  Annual  Report  of  Board  of 

Education,  Oswego,  N.  Y.,  1861 140 

XXV.    An  Educational  Symposium 148 

XXVI.    Recognition  as  a  State  Institution  (1863)  and  Ac- 
quirement of  New  Building  (1866) 157 

XXVII.     Struggle  and  Victory 161 

XXVIII.    Reputation  and  Influence  of  the  School 167 

XXIX.     Special  Features  in  Organization 175 

XXX.    Activities  of  Dr.  Sheldon's  Last  Years:  1887-1897..  181 

XXXI.    In  Memoriam .  190 

XXXII.    Family    Life 192 

XXXIII.  Devotion  to  the  Oswego  Work 196 

XXXIV.  Relations  with  Colleagues 200 

XXXV.     Dr.  Sheldon's  Personality  as  Teacher  and  Friend..  205 

XXXVI.    The  Political  Side  of  Dr.  Sheldon's  Career 209 

XXXVII.    Review  and  Reminiscence 214 

Appendix 229 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS 

PAGE 

Edward  Austin   Sheldon Frontispiece 

The  Old  Home  at  Perry lo 

The  New  Home  at  Perry 31 

First  Normal  School  Building 105 

"Shady   Shore" 130 

Oswego  State  Normal  and  Training  School  (Old  Building)  . . .  141 

The  Family  Group 193 

Oswego  State  Normal  and  Training  School  (New  Building)  . . .  197 


INTRODUCTION 

This  book  sets  forth  in  somewhat  graphic  and  very  inter- 
esting ways  several  important  phases  of  human  progress  in 
the  State  of  New  York,  and  so  in  the  country.  It  pencils, 
with  a  master's  hand,  life  in  western  New  York  when  the 
Genesee  country  was  upon  the  national  frontier  and 
sparsely  peopled  by  the  very  salt  of  the  earth.  It  throws 
light  upon  the  early  life  at  Hamilton  College,  one  of  the 
best  of  the  many  denominational  colleges  which  started  the 
beacon  fires  of  education  in  New  York.  It  portrays  an 
educational  missionary  movement  which  was  among  the  first, 
if  it  was  not  the  very  first,  of  its  kind,  and  which  initiated 
methods  that  have  been  adopted  since  in  every  considerable 
settlement  in  this  country.  It  traces,  with  less  detail  than 
is  desired,  the  evolution  of  one  of  the  earliest,  and  certainly 
one  of  the  very  best,  of  the  State  schools  for  the  training 
of  teachers — a  school  that  was  distinguished  and  became 
widely  influential  by  reason  of  the  sane  and  original  educa- 
tional philosophy  of  its  first  great  principal.  And  it  takes 
some  very  natural  excursions  through  the  valleys  and  up  to 
the  mountain  peaks  of  the  far  reaching  and  broken  field 
of  American  education. 

Through  all  this  there  is  the  modest  but  virile  personality 
of  one  of  the  great  men  of  the  nineteenth  century.  Con- 
structiveness  is  better  than  destructiveness ;  intellectual  and 
moral  progress  is  of  greater  account  than  commercial  and 


X  INTRODUCTION 

industrial  prosperity ;  the  real  accomplishments  of  peace  go 
deeper  and  reach  farther  than  the  victories  of  war.  If 
Edward  Austin  Sheldon  had  done  in  business  or  in  warfare 
what  he  did  in  education,  he  would  have  been  thought  a 
great  man,  and  why  should  he  not  be  characterized  accu- 
rately because  of  the  new  outlook,  the  new  methods,  and 
the  new  spirit  which  he  gave  to  all  American  schools? 

There  never  was  a  gentler  spirit,  and  there  never  was  a 
more  exact  master  of  organization  and  of  detail.  But  he 
might  have  been  all  that,  and  so  have  gained  our  regard  or 
admiration,  without  making  any  lasting  impression  upon  the 
educational  work  of  a  country  that  is  preeminent  for  its 
work  in  education,  if  he  had  not  been  moved  by  a  philoso- 
phy of  education  which  was  then  new  and  must  always  be 
fundamental  and  vital.  And  he  might  even  have  been 
imbued  with  that  philosophy  of  education  and  not  have  made 
it  a  living  force  in  the  schools  of  his  country,  if  he  had  not 
been  as  persistent  and  unyielding  as  he  was  gentle  and 
sincere. 

Many  strong,  noble  lives  have  entered  into  the  making  of 
the  Oswego  State  Normal  School.  A  considerable  num- 
ber of  exceptional  teachers  have  given  form  and  direc- 
tion and  energy  to  its  activities.  But  Dr.  Sheldon  was 
at  the  bottom  of  it  all.  He  brought  great  teachers  there; 
he  tolerated  none  who  were  without  decided  merit;  thus 
he  made  the  average  of  efficiency  remarkably  high.  With 
one  accord  these  teachers  would  testify  that  Dr.  Sheldon's 
mind  dominated  the  life  of  the  institution.  An  educational 
philosophy  which  came  from  his  nature,  his  experiences,  and 
his  study,  was  enforced  by  his  steadiness  and  his  firmness, 
by  his  manner  of  preaching,  and  by  his  practicing  what  he 


INTRODUCTION  xi 

preached,  until  it  gave  the  Oswego  Normal  School  a  dis- 
tinctive character  in  the  country;  until  it  came  to  be  dis- 
cussed in  all  the  educational  conventions  for  a  generation ; 
and  until  it  was  clearly  felt  in  all  the  schoolrooms  in  the  land 

Dr.  Sheldon  was  a  gentle,  vital,  active  force  in  all  the 
educational  activities  of  the  State  of  New  York.  He  was 
at  the  maximum  of  his  influence  during  the  six  years  when 
I  was  State  Superintendent  of  Public  Instruction.  We 
became  close  friends  at  once.  I  could  not  understand  at 
first  all  that  he  was  trying  to  do,  but  it  quickly  grew  upon 
me,  for  he  was  not  long  in  bringing  me  under  the  spell  of 
his  mesmeric  influence.  I  am  gratified  to  see  in  this  book 
a  letter  which  went  to  him  from  my  heart  as  I  was  leaving 
the  office  of  State  Superintendent.  So  far  as  the  State  was 
concerned,  he  had  his  way  in  all  regards  save  one.  That 
was  the  unifying  of  the  two  State  departments  of  educa- 
tional administration.  The  book  alludes  to  it.  His  pur- 
pose was  correct,  but  the  time  had  not  come.  We  were 
both  right;  he  in  urging  the  movement,  and  I  in  refusing 
to  join  in  the  agitation  of  the  proposition  at  that  time.  Our 
situations,  relations,  and  responsibilities  were  different.  Uni- 
fication had  to  come  through  more  tribulation  than  we  had 
endured  or  were  prepared  to  endure  at  that  time.  Indeed, 
it  would  have  failed  then,  no  matter  who  supported  it.  It 
came  in  its  own  time  and  in  its  own  way;  and  it  came  in 
better  form  and  upon  a  surer  footing  than  would  have  been 
possible  either  thirty,  or  twenty,  or  ten  years  earlier.  But 
the  editors  have  ample  warrant  for  attributing  to  Dr.  Shel- 
don a  good  share  in  the  credit  of  it. 

Another  great  man  of  the  schools,  Dr.  William  T.  Harris, 
once  in  conversation  about  our  early  New  England  homes 


xii  INTRODUCTION 

said,  "Don't  give  a  cent  to  maintain  an  old  hearthstone,  but 
contribute  all  you  can  to  publish  a  book  about  it."  The 
Oswego  Normal  School  will  soon  leave  the  old  building 
which  Dr.  Sheldon  and  the  associates  whom  he  called  about 
him  made  great.  It  will  go  to  a  new  and  more  imposing 
structure  upon  the  acres  that  he  loved.  It  will  not  be  neces- 
sary to  worship  the  old  building,  but  it  is  well  to  have  pre- 
pared this  book,  for  through  the  long  future  it  will  help  keep 
green  the  memory  of  a  good  man  and  a  great  teacher. 

Andrew  S.  Draper. 
Albany,  N.  Y.,  191 1. 


CHAPTER   I 

EARLIEST   RECOLLECTIONS 

They  say  I  was  born  October  4,  1823,  and  from  this  date 
I  reckon  my  years.  It  seemed  to  me  a  long  time  from  one 
to  twenty-one.  As  a  boy  I  felt  that  I  could  never  live  to  be 
twenty-one.  Even  now  as  I  look  back  over  my  existence,  it 
sometimes  seems  to  me  that  I  have  lived  forever. 

The  things  that  I  remember  as  a  child  are  very  trivial,  and 
I  suppose  they  could  not  be  otherwise.  So  far  as  I  can  re- 
call, the  first  thing  that  left  an  ineffaceable  trace  on  my 
memory  was  the  act  of  the  servant,  one  Alzada  Simons,  who, 
taking  me  in  her  arms,  held  me  over  the  well  that  I  might 
look  down  and  see  the  water  below.  The  well  was  in  front 
of  the  door,  only  a  few  steps  away ;  the  water  being  drawn 
by  an  old-fashioned  well-sweep.  Another  act  of  this  serv- 
ant also  stays  in  my  memory.  She  had  been  baking  pumpkin 
pies  and  by  some  accident  had  upset  one  of  them,  to  the 
serious  disarrangement  of  it.  This  she  gave  to  the  boy  Ed- 
ward, who,  taking  it  out  of  doors  and  sitting  down  under 
the  pantry  window,  eagerly  devoured  it,  leaving  no  part  of 
either  crust  or  filling. 

I  remember  the  little  frame  house  in  which  we  lived  at 
that  time,  and  many  years  subsequently.  It  had  one  com- 
mon living-room  which  served  as  kitchen,  dining-room, 
parlor,  and,  in  time  of  sickness  as  hospital.    Off  from  this 


2  AUTOBIOGRAPHY 

was  a  small  room  occupied  by  father  and  mother  as  a  sleep- 
ing-room, with  a  trundle-bed  for  the  children,  which  was 
rolled  under  the  parents'  bed  during  the  day  and  drawn  out 
at  night.  The  pantry  was  next  to  the  bedroom  and  opened 
into  the  living-room.  These  three  rooms  occupied  the  first 
floor.  The  "chamber,"  as  the  upper  floor  was  called,  was  a 
low  half  story  all  in  one  room,  and  was  reached  by  a  ladder. 
There  stood  the  family  loom  with  a  bed  at  each  end.  By 
means  of  a  blanket  a  partition  was  sometimes  improvised  in 
case  of  strict  necessity.  After  a  few  years  partitions  were 
made  and  a  staircase  was  built.  Such  was  the  house  that 
my  father  erected  for  the  reception  of  my  mother  in  1819. 

In  181 5  my  father  took  a  farm  one  mile  east  of  Perry 
Center.  By  the  fall  of  1818,  he  had  succeeded  in  clearing 
ten  acres  of  the  solid  forest  of  beech,  oak,  and  maple,  with 
a  sprinkling  of  ash,  white  wood,  and  elm.  He  then  returned 
on  'foot  to  New  Marlboro  (Mass.),  taught  school  during 
the  winter,  and  April  15,  1819,  was  married  and  started  on 
his  wedding  tour  toward  the  vast  wilderness  that  had  al- 
ready begun  to  yield  to  the  woodman's  axe.  This  trip  was 
made  by  the  bridal  pair  in  a  canvas-covered  lumber  wagon, 
which  contained  all  their  personal  and  housekeeping  goods. 
The  journey,  which  led  in  part  through  forests  and  over 
corduroy  roads,  was  accomplished  in  about  ten  days,  includ- 
ing the  Sabbath,  during  which  they  halted.  The  new  couple 
were  taken  into  the  log  cabin  with  an  uncle  until  the  new 
frame  house,  already  described,  was  ready  for  occupancy. 
In  a  few  weeks  they  were  installed  in  the  home  that  was 
the  birth-place  of  their  children. 

The  house  was  by  no  means  completed  at  this  time.  It 
had  no  windows  or  doors,  and  no  clap-boards.    As  for  lath 


EDWARD  AUSTIN  SHELDON  3 

and  plaster,  they  were  quite  out  of  the  question.  They  never 
had  a  place  in  the  new  house.  In  the  event  of  a  driving 
storm,  which  actually  did  occur,  continuing  for  three  days, 
what  little  the  house  contained  was  piled  up  in  the  center  of 
the  living-room  to  protect  it  from  the  rain.  Uncle  Oren, 
coming  in  at  the  time,  and  finding  them  in  this  sad  plight, 
took  my  mother  home  with  him  until  the  storm  was  over. 
Before  the  closing  in  of  winter,  the  doors  and  windows  were 
in  and  the  house  was  clapboarded.  They  were  now  fairly 
settled  and  ready  for  further  pioneer  work. 

My  father  had  desired  to  be  a  doctor ;  this  his  mother  op- 
posed, wishing  him  to  be  a  shoemaker.  To  gratify  her,  he 
spent  some  time  in  learning  the  trade,  but  it  being  against 
his  taste,  he  abandoned  it.  He  learned  enough,  however,  to 
be  of  service  to  him  in  repairing  the  shoes  of  the  'family. 
The  harnesses,  he  always  repaired.  I  well  remember  the  old 
shoemaker's  bench  with  its  meager  kit  of  tools  which  al- 
ways stood  in  the  upper  chamber.  He  also  tried  his  hand  at 
school  teaching,  as  almost  everybody  did  in  those  days ;  but 
he  was,  by  inheritance  from  a  long  line  of  ancestors,  fitted 
to  be  a  pioneer  and  a  farmer. 

The  new  farm  contained  at  the  outset  a  little  over  one 
hundred  acres  of  solid  wood.  By  slow  degrees  the  forest 
melted  before  his  axe,  until  the  broad  and  fertile  fields  o'f 
waving  grain  gave  evidence  of  a  wonderful  conquest. 

The  method  of  clearing  the  land  was  to  fell  the  timber 
into  piles  and  windrows,  as  far  as  possible,  and,  when  a  little 
dry,  set  fire  to  the  fallen  timber  and  burn  all  that  would 
burn.  What  was  left  was  drawn  and  piled  up  in  large  heaps 
called  log  heaps.  The  process  was  called  logging.  When 
in  right  condition  for  it,  these  log  heaps  were  burned,  and 


4  AUTOBIOGRAPHY 

then  the  land  was  cleared  and  ready  for  a  crop,  which  was 
sowed  or  planted  among  the  stumps.  The  only  product  of 
the  timber,  aside  from  a  certain  quantity  of  charcoal  manu- 
factured, was  the  ashes  left  on  the  ground.  These  were 
carefully  gathered  up  and  sold  to  the  "asheries,"  where 
they  were  converted  into  potash.  In  the  early  history  of  the 
country,  these  asheries  were  scattered  all  over  the  country. 

These  were  hard  times  for  the  early  settlers,  as  is  the 
case  in  every  new  country.  My  Uncle  Horace  used  to  tell 
the  story  of  going  five  miles  to  exchange  wheat  for  nails,  a 
bushel  of  wheat  for  every  pound  of  nails.  Money  was  very 
scarce.    Barter  was  the  usual  mode  of  exchange. 

As  for  clothing,  this  was  largely  manufactured  and  made 
up  by  the  industrious  housewife.  Nearly  every  house  had 
its  wheels  for  spinning  and  looms  for  weaving  both  linen 
and  wool.  Our  mothers  did  wonderful  things  with  these 
primitive  aids  o'f  industry.  With  the  linen  wheel,  which 
now  stands  in  our  parlor,  honorably  resting  from  its  labors, 
linen  thread  was  spun.  With  the  hand  loom,  which  always 
stood  in  the  chamber,  this  thread  was  woven  into  cloth  for 
towels,  bed  furnishing,  and  summer  clothes  for  the  children. 
Some  of  the  garments  thus  made  were  a  part  of  my  outfit 
for  college. 

We  children  were  always  interested  in  seeing  these  occu- 
pations go  on.  The  preparation  of  the  flax  for  the  wheel 
was  quite  as  interesting  as  the  spinning  and  weaving.  The 
flax  for  this  purpose  was  pulled  up  by  the  roots  by  hand, 
and  laid  in  thin  layers  in  swaths  to  dry.  When  thoroughly 
dry  it  was  bound  in  bundles  and  packed  away  under  the 
ridgepole  of  the  barn  on  a  scaflfolding  of  rails,  where  it 


EDWARD  AUSTIN  SHELDON  5 

would  keep  perfectly  dry.  It  was  the  business  of  the  boy 
to  do  the  stowing  away. 

The  time  of  highest  delight  was  in  the  early  spring,  when 
the  "brake"  and  hetchel  were  brought  out,  the  bundles  of 
flax  thrown  down,  unbound,  and  in  small  handfuls  put  under 
the  heavy  "brake."  This  was  a  wooden  instrument  about 
four  to  six  feet  long,  consisting  of  two  parts  attached  at 
the  end  by  a  pin  which  allowed  the  upper  part  to  move 
freely  on  the  lower.  The  lower  part  stood  on  legs  that 
raised  it  three  or  'four  feet  from  the  ground,  and  consisted 
of  five  or  six  narrow  strips  of  hard  wood,  probably  maple, 
tapering  to  a  narrow  edge  on  their  upper  side.  The  upper 
part  was  similarly  constructed  and,  when  brought  down, 
the  long  knife-Uke  strips  just  fitted  into  the  openings  be- 
tween the  strips  on  the  lower  part.  The  upper  jaw  of  the 
machine  being  raised,  the  handful  of  flax  was  placed  in  the 
lower  jaw,  and  then  the  upper  was  made  to  fall  heavily  on 
the  flax,  to  break  the  woody  fibre,  called  "shives."  This 
operation  was  repeated  until  all  the  wood  in  the  flax  was 
thoroughly  broken  up.  The  fibres  were  then  placed  over 
the  top  of  a  board  about  four  feet  high  and  ten  to  twelve 
inches  wide,  finished  up  to  a  somewhat  sharp  edge;  this 
instrument  was  the  "swingle  board."  The  "swingle  knife," 
made  of  wood  in  the  shape  of  a  two-edged  sword  or  blade, 
was  three  or  four  inches  wide  and  as  many  feet  in  length. 
With  the  broken  flax  placed  over  the  top  o'f  the  swingle 
board,  the  workman  proceeded  to  work  out  the  woody 
fibre  by  striking  it  with  the  swingle  knife. 

The  flax  being  thus  freed  of  its  shives,  was  subjected  to 
the  hatchel  (commonly  called  "hetchel").  This  instrument 
consisted   of   a    large    number   of    sharp    spikes    fastened 


6  AUTOBIOGRAPHY 

through  an  end  of  a  board  two  or  three  feet  long  and  five  to 
six  inches  wide.  The  flax  being  drawn  through  these  teeth 
was  freed  of  its  coarser  parts,  called  tow.  Being  sub- 
jected to  two  or  three  of  these  hatchels,  of  different  grades, 
it  became  fit  for  the  spinning  wheel.  The  finer  products  of 
the  hatchel  were  worked  into  a  coarse  tow  cloth,  and  the 
dressed  flax  into  cloth  of  a  fine  texture. 

From  the  spindle  of  the  wheel  the  yarn  was  reeled  off  onto 
spools  ready  for  the  loom.  Little  use  was  made  of  the 
coarsest  tow  that  came  from  the  first  hatcheling,  except  for 
packing  and  chinking.  The  finer  portions  were  converted 
into  a  'coarse  cloth  for  bags,  towels,  and  children's  clothing. 
Such  were  the  processes  by  which  the  flax  was  made  to 
serve  the  needs  of  the  household. 

The  manufacture  of  woolen  garments  was  a  larger  and 
more  important  element  of  household  economy.  There,  too, 
was  much  that  interested  the  boys  and  gave  occupation  to 
the  girls.  First  came  the  sheep  washing,  which  was  to  the 
boys  one  of  the  most  important  days  in  the  whole  year. 

Usually  two  or  three  farmers  would  join  flocks  as  a  mat- 
ter of  greater  economy  in  operating.  Each  person  was  fitted 
out  with  a  bundle  of  old  clothes  to  be  worn  while  handling 
the  sheep  in  the  water.  The  presence  of  the  boy  was  most 
essential  on  this  occasion  to  drive  and  hurdle  the  sheep. 

The  place  selected  for  the  washing  must  be  well  provided 
with  water,  preferably  where  there  was  a  flume,  so  that 
the  water  could  be  allowed  to  flow  freely,  and  so  facilitate 
the  cleansing  of  the  wool.  The  flock  was  first  driven  into 
an  enclosure  adjoining  the  water.  The  boy  was  allowed  to 
join  in  the  catching  of  the  sheep  and  bringing  them  to  the 
water's  edge  for  the  men,  who  were  in  the  water  to  their 


EDWARD  AUSTIN  SHELDON  7 

waists,  engaged  in  washing  them.    When  the  last  sheep  had 
thus  been  washed  and  set  free,  all  started  for  home. 

Sheep  shearing  was  next  in  order.  This,  too,  was  one  of 
the  great  days  for  the  boy  on  the  farm.  He  was  always 
present  to  help  catch  the  sheep  for  the  shearers.  And  then 
the  lambs  must  have  their  tails  cut  off  and  their  ears 
marked;  and  the  handling  of  the  lambs  was  the  peculiar 
prerogative  of  the  boy,  who  never  failed  to  be  on  hand  and 
to  be  very  active  on  such  occasions. 

The  fleeces  taken  from  the  sheep  were  rolled  up  and 
packed  away  for  a  favorable  market,  or  sent  to  the  mills  to 
be  carded  into  rolls  ready  for  the  spinster.  This  carding 
was  sometimes  done  at  home  with  small  hand  cards.  The 
spinning  was  done  on  a  wheel  with  a  large  rim,  which  the 
spinster  turned  with  the  right  hand,  as  with  the  left,  she 
held  the  rolls,  and  stepping  back  drew  out  the  yarn,  which 
she  returned  to  the  spindle  by  retracing  her  steps  in  a  for- 
ward direction.  Thus  back  and  forth,  backward  and  for- 
ward, she  would  tread  day  after  day,  filling  spindle  after 
spindle,  being  repeatedly  relieved  by  drawing  off  the  thread 
onto  the  reel.  From  the  reel  it  was  wound  on  spools  ready 
for  the  loom. 

The  weaving  of  the  thread  into  cloth  was  a  slow  process, 
and  was  done  at  odd  moments  snatched  from  the  household 
duties.  So  it  would  be  a  long  time  before  a  piece  of  cloth 
would  be  completed,  and  then  taking  it  'from  the  loom  was 
an  act  of  no  small  importance.  It  was  the  end  of  a  long 
and  tedious  piece  of  work.  The  spinning  was  often  done 
by  young  women  brought  into  the  house  and  paid  by  the 
day.  The  weaving,  however,  was  usually  done  by  the 
mother,  and  it  was  not  common  for  the  daughter  or  young 


8  AUTOBIOGRAPHY 

people  to  learn  to  do  this  work,  so  that  it  will  soon  be  a 
lost  art  if  it  is  not  already  so.  The  sponging  and  cutting 
into  garments  was  usually  left  with  the  tailor,  although  the 
garments  for  the  younger  children  were  cut,  sometimes,  by 
the  mother. 

That  such  mothers  were  very  capable  women,  goes  with- 
out saying.  Such  a  woman  was  my  mother.  Although 
never  a  well  woman,  she  was  diligent,  patient,  and  persever- 
ing, and  accomplished  a  great  deal  in  the  course  of  the  year. 
She  lived  not  for  herself  alone,  but  did  many  deeds  of 
mercy  and  charity.  She  looked  after  the  sick  and  needy 
of  the  neighborhood.  She  might  often  be  seen  with  her 
bundle  of  medicinal  herbs,  of  which  she  always  kept  an 
abundant  supply,  going  to  prescribe  for  some  sick  child  or 
neighbor.  She  was  an  admirable  nurse,  and  knew  how  to 
employ  many  simple  remedies  for  common  diseases,  and 
particularly  those  of  children.  To  the  church  and  many  of 
the  religious  benevolences  of  the  day  she  gave  much  time 
and  aid.  Her  Bible  class  of  adults  she  held  until  she  was 
ninety  years  old.  Her  mental  faculties  remained  unim- 
paired until  the  day  of  her  death  at  about  ninety-six  years 
of  age. 


CHAPTER   II 

THE  PIONEER  FARM   BOY's  OCCUPATIONS  AND   INTERESTS 

Among  other  occupations  of  the  house  in  which  my 
mother  engaged,  and  which  always  interested  us  children, 
was  candle-making.  Very  little  was  bought  that  could  be 
made  in  the  house,  and  her  candles  were  the  principal  de- 
pendence for  light  in  the  house  and  barn.  They  were  made 
of  diflferent  sizes  and  lengths  for  the  various  uses  to  which 
they  were  to  be  put.  The  wicks  for  the  house  were  mostly 
made  of  cotton  wicking,  which  was  bought  by  the  pound 
and  arranged  in  suitable  lengths  and  bulk  for  the  kinds  of 
candles  to  be  made.  The  wicks  for  the  barn  lantern  were, 
however,  made  from  tow  spun  into  thread  and  prepared  for 
the  purpose.  The  tow  wicking  did  not  give  so  good  a  light 
as  the  cotton,  but  lasted  longer,  and  was  thus  more 
economical. 

We  got  along  with  less  light  in  those  days  than  would 
satisfy  the  households  of  to-day.  No  candle  was  allowed  to 
burn  when  not  in  use  and  several  people  together  were  ac- 
comodated with  a  single  light.  The  wicks,  arranged  nine 
on  a  rod,  the  rods  with  each  end  on  a  pole  arranged  for  the 
purpose  were  placed  side  by  side  at  sufficient  distance  so 
that  the  candles  would  not  touch  each  other  as  they  grew 
under  the  hand  of  the  manipulator.  A  vessel  of  hot  tallow 
was  placed  conveniently  near  for  the  purpose,  and  the  wicks 

9 


10  AUTOBIOGRAPHY 

on  the  rod  were  dipped  in  the  tallow  successively  until  all 
were  dipped.  By  the  time  the  last  rod  of  wicks  was  dipped, 
the  first  row  would  be  sufficiently  cool  to  allow  of  another 
dipping,  and  so  the  process  was  repeated  until  the  candles 
were  of  the  desired  size. 

It  was  interesting  to  the  boy  to  see  these  long  rows  of 
white  candles  hanging  by  their  loops,  and  growing  larger 
at  each  successive  dipping.  To  avoid  soiling  the  floor  by 
any  drops  of  tallow,  boards  were  placed  under  the  candles 
as  they  were  being  dipped.  The  proper  consistency  of  the 
candles  was  a  matter  of  no  small  importance.  This  was 
regulated  by  more  or  less  beeswax  being  added  to  the  tallow. 
The  form  of  the  candles  was  also  thought  of,  and  to  be 
sure  that  they  would  remain  straight  and  smooth  the  wicks 
were  first  dipped  in  pure  melted  tallow  and  then  run  through 
the  hand  and  stretched  out  to  their  full  length.  This  was  a 
preparation  for  the  regular  dipping.  When  the  dipping 
was  completed,  they  were  allowed  to  stand  until  perfectly 
cool,  when  they  were  sorted  and  packed  away  in  boxes 
ready  for  use.  The  tallow  used  was  the  savings  from  the 
beef  and  mutton  used  during  the  year. 

"Butchering"  was  another  intensely  interesting  occasion. 
An  occasional  beef  or  sheep  was  killed,  and  as  the  neighbors 
did  the  same  thing,  exchanges  were  made,  thus  arranging 
a  sufficient  supply  of  fresh  meat  for  all.  In  those  days,  in 
th€  country,  there  were  no  meat  markets  or  meat  peddlers. 
Much  salt  meat  was  used,  particularly  beef  and  pork,  which 
was  packed  away  in  barrels  and  salted  as  the  cattle  or  hogs 
were  killed. 

The  kindling  of  the  fire  around  the  great  potash  kettle, 
the  arranging  of  the  temporary  scaffolding  with  its  in- 


The  Old  Home  at  Perry. 


EDWARD  AUSTIN  SHELDON  ii 

clined  plane,  up  which  the  carcasses  were  to  be  drawn  into 
position  for  being  dipped  into  the  boihng  water  to  scald  the 
skin  so  that  the  hair  could  be  easily  pulled  or  scraped  off; 
the  suspending  th^em  by  the  heels  on  the  great  cross-bar, 
the  taking  out  of  the  entrails;  the  selecting  of  such  portions 
as  were  considered  suitable  for  use,  notably  the  heart  and 
those  parts  of  the  entrails  adapted  to  making  sausag€s ;  the 
removing  of  the  dressed  carcasses  to  the  cellar;  the  cutting 
up  of  the  meat  for  packing;  these  were  all  operations  that 
would  naturally  interest  a  boy,  and  especially  if  he  were 
made  to  feel  that  his  help  was  important,  an  inference  he 
was  very  likely  to  make  even  if  not  stated  to  him  in  so  many 
words.  The  pork  was  usually  "cut  up"  and  packed  at 
night. 

There  were  some  other  things  that  naturally  grew  out  of 
"butchering  day,"  that  also  appealed  to  the  boy — notably 
the  "stuffing  of  sausages."  This  was  indeed  a  red-letter 
occasion  for  the  whole  household.  So  important  was  the 
occasion  that  it  became  the  date  from  which  we  reckoned 
the  time  for  arranging  various  important  matters;  notably 
the  coming  of  the  schoolmaster  to  board — for  these  were 
the  days  when  the  schoolmaster  "boarded  around."  He 
was  supposed  to  board  with  each  patron  of  the  school  ac- 
cording to  the  number  of  the  family  represented  in  the 
school.  We  sometimes  thought,  however,  that  other  condi- 
tions had  something  to  do  with  the  length  of  his  stay  in 
some  families,  and  it  would  not  be  strange  if  they  did; 
indeed,  quite  human  that  they  should.  But  it  was  the  gen- 
erally expressed  wish  that  he  should  not  come  until  after 
the  "stuffing  of  sausages." 

With  the  children,  sausage  stuffing  was  an  event  looked 


12  AUTOBIOGRAPHY 

forward  to  and  remembered  with  the  greatest  deUght. 
When  the  delectable  day  came,  all  the  chores  and  other  af- 
fairs that  required  attention  were  disposed  of  at  an  early 
hour,  and  the  whole  family  of  little  ones  gathered  around 
the  central  figures,  father  and  mother,  who  had  the  work 
to  perform.  The  sausage  skins  had  been  thoroughly 
cleansed  by  turning  them  inside  out,  scraping  them,  and 
rinsing  in  many  waters,  and  were  piled  in  a  vessel  by  the 
side  of  the  operators.  The  sausage  meat,  consisting  of  lean 
pork  chopped  fine,  had  been  previously  prepared  with  cer- 
tain spices  to  suit  the  taste  of  the  family,  and  placed  in  a 
vessel  hard  by.  The  sausage  filler  was  constructed  some- 
thing like  a  squirt  gun.  It  would  hold  perhaps  two  or  three 
quarts,  and  when  filled,  the  meat  was  forced  out  with  the 
piston  through  the  narrow  stem  which  was  inserted  into  one 
end  of  the  delicate  skin,  the  other  end  being  securely 
'fastened ;  and  with  marvelous  quickness,  a  thing  in  the  eyes 
of  the  children  wonderous  to  behold,  a  full-grown  sausage, 
three  to  four  feet  long  and  an  inch  in  diameter,  lay  curled 
up,  serpent-like,  before  us.  The  sausages  were  hung  up  on 
poles  for  a  few  days  to  season,  and  then  were  packed  away 
in  jars  and  melted  lard  poured  over  them,  filling  all  the 
interstices.    Thus  they  were  preserved  for  use  as  wanted. 

The  annual  festivity  that  went  on  throughout  the  entire 
farming  community  at  the  "butchering"  season  deserves 
recognition.  It  must  be  remembered  that  fresh  meat  was 
not  the  ordinary  diet  of  the  farmers,  and  especially  the 
fresh  pork.  The  fresh  beef  and  lamb,  the  veal,  and  the 
chicken  came  in  occasionally,  at  different  seasons  of  the 
year,  but  there  was  no  meat  so  palatable  to  most  of  us  as 


EDWARD  AUSTIN  SHELDON  13 

some  of  the  choice  bits  of  the  freshly  killed  pig.  Such  at 
least,  appeared  to  be  the  general  judgment  of  the  people 
who  indulged  in  this  feast.  Luckily  the  neighbors  did  not 
all  butcher  on  the  same  day,  but  the  time  extended  through 
several  weeks  including  the  latter  part  of  November,  and 
the  early  days  of  December,  so  that,  by  a  system  of  ex- 
change, the  fresh  pork  feast  went  on  continuously  well 
nigh  to  the  end  of  the  year.  The  joyful  anticipations  and 
glad  remembrances  of  this  prolonged  feast  still  linger 
vividly  in  the  memory  after  three  score  years  and  ten;  and 
although  it  is  long  since  I  ceased  to  eat  pork  in  any  form, 
yet  there  is  no  kind  of  meat  that  I  even  now  consider  more 
toothsome  than  the  tenderloin  and  the  sausage  as  they  came 
to  my  mother's  table.  Salt  meat  was  the  staple  meat  of  the 
farm  then  and  I  suppose  it  may  be  even  to  this  day.  The 
men  who  work  hard  in  the  open  air  each  day  seem  to  thrive 
on  it,  but  it  could  hardly  be  recommended  to  persons  of 
less  active  employment. 

The  making  of  soap  was,  in  a  way,  the  outcome  of  the 
butchering  season,  although  not  immediately  resulting.  All 
the  rinds  from  the  pork,  the  bones,  and  every  bit  of  grease 
and  fat  not  consumed  were  scrupulously  saved  for  the 
making  of  soft  soap.  The  wood  ashes  from  the  stove  were 
saved  and  put  into  the  "leach,"  to  which  water  was  added 
and  the  resultant  lye  caught  in  a  vessel  at  the  bottom.  This 
leach  consisted  of  a  hollow  log  cut  from  the  forest  and  set 
on  end.  The  lye  was  essential  in  the  manufacture  of  the 
soap.  The  making  of  the  soap  gave  a  hard  day  to  the 
housekeeper,  and,  although  it  was  mostly  out-of-door  work, 
but  few  others  on  the  farm  had  much  to  do  with  it.     A 


14  AUTOBIOGRAPHY 

barrel  of  soft  soap  was  always  placed  in  the  cellar  as  the 
product.  It  was  used  for  laundry  work,  and  a  dish  of  it 
always  stood  in  the  wash-room  for  use  by  the  men  in  wash- 
ing their  hands  as  they  came  from  their  work. 


CHAPTER   III 

OTHER  FARM   INDUSTRIES 

To  THE  royal  occasions  on  the  farm  that  helped  greatly  to 
give  this  kind  of  life  a  charm  and  left  behind  most  pleasant 
memories,  I  must  add  a  few  others  of  no  less  importance  to 
the  boy.  Among  these,  was  the  "taking  up  of  the  bees." 
In  those  days  the  bees  were  allowed  to  swarm  naturally  and 
were  shaken  from  their  temporary  resting-place  into  rude 
hives,  made  fresh  and  clean  and  scented  with  "bee-balm" 
with  the  hope  of  making  a  welcome  new  home  for  them. 
Sometimes,  however,  they  preferred  a  venture  to  the  forests, 
and  the  din  and  noise  of  horns  and  tin  pans  was  not  suffi- 
cient to  deter  them  from  their  purpose.  I  shall  never  forget 
the  sweet  lullabies  of  my  mother  as  she  sat  by  the  newly- 
hived  swarm,  with  the  bees  flying  thick  about  her.  Her 
voice  seemed  to  have  a  charm  for  them  that  usually  con- 
tented them  to  remain  where  they  were.  They  seemed  to 
have  no  thought  of  harming  her. 

When  the  old  hives  became  quite  full  of  honey  the  bees 
were  destroyed,  and  the  honey  was  taken  from  the  hive.  A 
shallow  hole  eight  or  ten  inches  deep  was  dug  in  the  ground, 
of  proper  size  to  allow  the  hive  just  to  cover  it.  Small 
sticks  three  or  four  inches  long  were  prepared,  sharpened 
at  one  end  and  split  at  the  other,  with  a  small  swab  of  cloth 
saturated  with  melted  brimstone  inserted  into  the  split ;  and 

IS 


i6  AUTOBIOGRAPHY 

four  or  five  of  them  were  stuck  into  the  ground  at  the 
bottom  of  the  hole.  These  being  lighted,,  the  doomed  bees 
were  set  over  the  burning  brimstone  torches,  and  earth  was 
packed  tight  around  the  bottom  of  the  hive  to  prevent  any 
ingress  of  fresh  air  or  egress  of  live  bees.  All  holes  and 
cracks  in  the  hive  had  been  previously  closed  up.  That  the 
bees  were  soon  all  smothered  is  apparent.  For  a  short 
time  they  were  left  to  their  fate,  and  then,  if  on  striking 
the  hive  no  answer  came  back,  the  decision  followed  that 
all  were  dead  and  the  hives  were  taken  to  the  house,  turned 
bottom  side  up,  and  the  process  of  extracting  the  honey 
went  on  as  comb  after  comb  was  piled  away  in  tin  pans  and 
on  platters.  In  this  way  hundreds  of  pounds  o'f  honey  were 
stored  away  for  winter  use. 

My  mother  never  hid  anything  from  her  boys,  and  the 
piles  of  honey  were  no  exception.  The  children  went  to 
them  when  they  wished  and  helped  themselves  with  perfect 
freedom.  At  times  they  would  take  with  them  a  friend  to 
enjoy  the  sweet  repast.  I  am  glad  my  father  kept  bees  and 
did  it  in  the  old-fashioned  way,  otherwise  many  a  joyful 
occasion  and  sweet  remembrance  would  have  been  taken 
out  of  my  life.  After  more  modern  hives  were  substituted 
for  the  old  hollow  log,  or  the  square  box  with  stationary 
supports  for  the  combs,  and  we  began  to  draw  honey  out  in 
boxes,  our  bee-keeping  very  soon  came  to  an  end. 

The  beginning  o'f  haying,  too,  had  its  season  of  anticipa- 
tion. There  was  the  repairing  of  the  hand-rakes,  the  put- 
ting in  of  missing  teeth,  the  replacing  of  broken  or  worn- 
out  forms,  snaths  and  scythes,  repairs  to  hay-racks,  the 
putting  of  bays  and  hay-sheds  in  order,  ready  to  receive  the 
new  hay ;  and  lastly  the  grinding  of  the  scythes  as  the  final 


EDWARD  AUSTIN  SHELDON  17 

act  of  preparation.  In  those  days  we  had  no  mowing  ma- 
chines, no  hay-tedders,  no  horse-rakes,  and  no  patent  horse- 
forks — everything  was  done  by  hand. 

In  haying-time  the  boy  had  to  turn  the  grindstone  for  the 
sharpening  of  the  scythes.  He  was  expected  to  follow  the 
mowers  and  spread  the  grass  that  they  left  in  the  swaths, 
to  facilitate  the  curing  of  the  hay.  If  water  was  wanted  it 
was  his  task  to  bring  it.  He  also  brought  the  luncheons  in 
the  middle  of  the  forenoon.  When  required,  he  assisted  in 
turning  the  hay  to  hasten  the  curing  and  in  raking  it  into 
wind-rows  for  the  pitchers;  if  it  was  to  be  cocked  up,  he 
raked  up  the  scattered  hay;  he  raked  after  the  pitchers  as 
the  hay  was  loaded  on  the  wagons ;  and  he  was  indispensable 
in  mowing  it  away,  especially  under  the  low  roof  and  in 
narrow  places  not  easily  accessible  to  the  men.  If  nothing 
more  important  was  required  of  him,  he  was  set  to  treading 
down  the  hay,  to  make  it  as  compact  as  possible. 

The  wheat  harvest  hardly  waited  for  the  completion  of 
the  haying.  A  man  who  in  those  days  could,  with  his  hand- 
cradle,  cut  two  acres  a  day,  was  considered  a  smart  man ; 
and  the  one  who  could  follow  him  with  the  rake  and  bind 
what  he  cut,  was  regarded  as  a  man  of  rare  capability.  In 
this  way,  two  men  would  possibly  cut  and  bind  two  acres  a 
day.  It  was  more  common  for  the  boy  to  rake  the  grain 
after  the  cradle,  while  a  man  'followed  to  bind  the  sheaves. 
At  the  end  of  the  day  the  sheaves  were  put  in  shocks  of 
about  twelve  bundles.  In  this  part  of  the  work  the  boy  was 
usually  called  upon  to  help.  At  their  leisure  hours  the 
children  were  allowed  to  glean  the  scattering  heads  of  grain, 
and  after  the  threshing,  were  paid  for  the  product  in 
money. 


1 8  AUTOBIOGRAPHY 

After  the  haying  and  harvesting  came  the  threshing  of 
the  grain.  This  was,  indeed,  a  grand  occasion.  The 
threshers  came  with  two  teams  and  two  men — one  man  to 
drive  the  horses  that  ran  the  machine,  and  one  to  tend  the 
machine,  feeding  it  with  grain.  The  work  of  the  boy  was 
to  get  the  sheaves  from  the  mow,  and  to  hand  them  unbound 
to  the  man  who  fed  the  machine.  This  required  one  boy  to 
unbind  and  two  or  three,  depending  on  the  distance  the  • 
sheaves  were  from  the  machine,  to  get  the  sheaves  to  the 
boy  that  unbound.  The  unbinding  meant  the  loosening  of 
the  knots  at  both  ends,  lest  they  should  clog  or  injure  the 
machine.  This  was  lively  work  and  allowed  of  no  rest  so 
long  as  the  machine  was  running.  At  the  tail  of  the  ma- 
chine stood  a  man  who  removed  the  straw,  A  second  man 
took  the  straw  from  the  first  and  landed  it  outside  the 
threshing  floor,  A  third  man  pitched  it  upon  the  stack, 
where  were  usually  a  man  and  boy  to  stack  it.  As  the 
stack  grew  in  height  an  additional  pitcher  was  required. 

Not  all  the  grain  was  threshed  in  this  way.  Odd  bits  were 
beaten  with  the  ancient  flail.  This  was  a  slow  process,  but 
gave  employment  in  the  winter  when  there  was  not  so  much 
to  do.  Another  equally  primitive  mode  was  sometimes  em- 
ployed. The  threshing  floor  was  filled  with  sheaves  of 
grain,  and  a  span  of  horses  or  a  yoke  of  cattle  was  turned 
in  and  made  to  tread  out  the  kernels  by  passing  round  and 
round  on  the  sheaves;  care  being  taken  to  allow  them  to 
change  directions  before  they  should  become  dizzy.  The 
straw  was  occasionally  turned  until  the  grain  was  fully  ex- 
tracted. 

The  threshing,  by  whatever  process,  did  not,  by  any 
means,  end  all  of  the  hard  work.    The  grain  had  yet  to  be 


EDWARD  AUSTIN  SHELDON  19 

winnowed  and  sent  to  the  market  or  the  mill.  For  this  part 
of  the  work  the  boy  was  always  called  into  requisition.  He 
must,  at  least,  turn  the  fanning-mill  that  freed  the  kernels 
from  the  chaff  and  foul  seed.  Ordinarily  it  had  to  pass 
through  the  mill  twice  before  being  properly  cleaned  for 
the  market.  This  work  was  usually  done  on  rainy  days  and 
at  night  when  out-of-door  work  could  not  be  attempted. 
Many  a  weary  day  and  dark  night  have  I  devoted  to  the 
turning  of  a  fanning-mill  crank.  I  would  turn  with  one 
hand  until  it  was  tired,  then  change  to  the  other  hand,  and 
for  variety  would  employ  both  hands.  For  a  few  turns  this 
might  be  enjoyed  by  the  boy,  but  long  continued  the  aspect 
of  the  work  changed.  To  swim  in  the  wheat  when  stored 
in  the  ample  bins  suited  his  idea  of  fun  much  better. 
Nothing  afforded  a  more  acceptable  play-ground  than  a  bin 
of  winnowed  wheat. 

When  the  wheat  was  put  in  bags  and  loaded  into  the 
wagon  for  the  miller  or  the  market,  it  was  the  boy's 
privilege  to  go  along  as  companion.  This  often  meant  a 
ride  of  from  fifteen  or  twenty  miles  in  the  round  trip.  The 
lunch  was  taken  along,  as  also  the  bait  for  the  horses,  and 
partaken  of  at  the  place  of  marketing  the  wheat.  This  was 
usually  York  or  Geneseo,  places  seven  to  ten  miles  away. 
All  this  was  adapted  to  the  capacity  of  the  boy's  enjoyment, 
and  he  relished  it. 


CHAPTER   IV 

OUR   APPLE   ORCHARD 

When  my  father  planted  his  apple  orchard,  his  neighbors 
asked  him  if  he  ever  expected  to  get  any  apples  from  it. 
He  acknowledged  that  he  had  slight  hopes  of  ever  realizing 
very  much  fruit  from  it,  but  he  thought  his  children  might. 
In  a  short  time,  within  two  or  three  years,  he  had  the 
pleasure  of  picking  two  apples.  The  next  year  he  had  a 
peck,  and  then  stopped  measuring.  For  fifty  years  or  more 
he  gathered  abundant  crops,  and  then  they  became  at  times 
a  source  of  no  mean  revenue.  The  family  was  always 
abundantly  supplied,  and  he  had  usually  a  handsome  surplus 
for  the  market. 

That  orchard  was  one  of  the  most  delightful  resorts  of 
our  childhood.  Even  in  advanced  life,  after  the  old  farm 
had  gone  into  other  hands,  the  remembrances  were  so  vivid 
that  it  was  not  a  little  sad  to  my  sister  and  me  to  see  the 
old  orchard  cut  down  as  no  longer  profitable  to  the  farmer. 
In  imagination  our  memories  still  cling  to  this  favored  spot. 

But  our  cup  of  joy  was  complete,  filled  to  overflowing, 
when  the  final  apple  harvest  came.  This  was  the  time  when 
the  help  of  the  boy  was  fully  appreciated — a  fact  which 
added  genuine  dignity  to  his  presence.  He  was  everywhere 
ready  to  pick  up,  to  sort,  to  carry,  to  pile,  anything  and 
everything  that  was  in  his  capacity  to  do.     He  liked  to 

20 


EDWARD  AUSTIN  SHELDON  21 

handle  apples,  he  liked  to  see  the  red  and  silver  piles,  he 
liked  to  see  wagons  loaded  to  their  brims  with  the  apples 
destined  for  the  cider  mill — everything  connected  with  this 
business  was  a  source  of  great  delight  to  him.    There  was 
the  unloading  of  the  choice  apples   for  winter  use,   and 
placing  them  by  their  sorts  in  the  bins;  the  taking  of  the 
cider  apples  to  the  mill;  the  sips  of  sweet  cider  through 
straws,  as  it  exuded  from  the  press  on  its  way  to  the  vat 
below ;  or  the  more  hearty  draughts  from  the  cup  provided 
for  the  purpose  at  the  vat  itself;  the  bringing  home  of  the 
cider  barrels  and  placing  them  in  the  cellar,  destined  for 
vinegar — all  these  were  added  phases  of  the  prolonged  joy. 
And  then  we  are  never  tired  of  going  to  the  cellar  to  view 
the  apples  in  the  bins,  to  take  a  sip  of  the  sweet  cider,  and 
fill  our  pockets   with  the  most  luscious   fruit   the  ample 
stores  afforded ;  a  supply  that  rarely  failed  us  until  a  new 
crop  appeared.    No  restraint  was  ever  put  on  the  children. 
They  always  had  all  they  cared  for,  and  the  boy  was  sure 
to  take  a  generous  treat   for  his  schoolmates,  which  his 
numerous  pockets  furnished  him  the  opportunity  for  doing. 
Then  there  was  the  drying  of  the  apples  for  use  when  the 
stock  of  green  apples  in  the  early  summer  should  run  low, 
or  for  exchange  at  the  grocery  for  such  articles  as  were 
needed  in  the  'family.     My  father  was  an  expert  in  paring 
apples  with  the  knife,  the  only  process  known  in  the  early 
childhood  of  the  boy.     Notwithstanding  the  expertness  of 
my  father  at  this  business,  it  was  a  slow  process  at  best,  and 
it  was  hardly  possible  to  prepare  large  quantities  in  this 
way.    Later,  when  the  paring  machine  and  corer  came  into 
use,  the  case  was  diflferent.    Then  it  was  that  the  dried  ap- 
ples were  sent  to  the  market  by  the  bushel. 


22  AUTOBIOGRAPHY 

It  was  the  work  of  the  boy  to  quarter  the  apples  and 
string  the  quarters  for  drying.  These  strings  were  hung  on 
poles  in  front  of  the  great  fireplace  or  in  the  open  sun, 
according  to  the  weather  and  the  season.  Sometimes  the 
quarters  were  placed  on  boards  in  the  sun  without  stringing, 
or  were  dried  in  the  oven.  This  preparation  of  dried  fruit 
gave  occasion  for  the  "apple-paring  bee,"  which  brought 
together  boys  and  girls  of  the  neighborhood  for  a  jolly 
time.  The  boys  usually  pared  the  apples  and  cored  them 
on  machines,  while  the  girls  quartered,  removing  any  re- 
maining bits  of  skin  or  cores,  and  attended  to  the  stringing. 
Some  work  was  accomplished  at  the  "bees,"  but  never  to 
the  exclusion  of  much  'fun  and  frolic.  These  "apple-paring 
bees"  will  remain  in  the  memories  of  all  the  participants 
until  memory  fails  to  do  its  work. 

I  am  grateful  for  the  old  orchard  and  all  that  it  brought 
to  me  as  a  boy — joy,  health,  and  good  living;  and  above  all, 
for  the  thoughtful  father  who  planted  it.  It  remained 
during  his  life-time  a  monument  to  his  wisdom  and  fore- 
thought.   I  am  glad  he  lived  so  long  to  enjoy  it. 


CHAPTER   V 

MY  SCHOOL  LIFE 

School  life  to  me  was  one  continuous  holiday.  To  study 
was  out  of  the  question.  I  did  not  know  what  it  was  to 
study.  I  have  no  remembrance  of  having  studied  a  mo- 
ment in  two  years,  unless  it  might  be  called  studying  to 
memorize  lists  of  (to  me)  utterly  meaningless  words.  If 
this  doubtful  process  may  be  called  studying,  I  did  study 
my  spelling  lessons  one  winter  when  a  prize  of  one  dollar 
was  offered  to  the  one  who  should  be  at  the  head  of  the 
spelling  class  the  most  times.  This  prize  was  a  temptation 
that  I  could  not  resist  to  engage  in  a  most  unpleasant  occu- 
pation. To  the  mind  of  the  boy,  one  dollar  was  a  mine  of 
wealth.  He  never  possessed  so  much  in  all  his  life  and  he 
resolved  to  win  it,  cost  what  effort  it  might.  He  went  in  to 
win  and  was  partially  successful.  It  was  equally  divided 
between  him  and  a  girl  in  the  school.  There  began  and 
ended  all  his  efforts  at  studying  in  the  public  school. 

The  boy  literally  hated  study.  With  tears  in  his  eyes, 
over  and  over  again,  he  pleaded  with  his  father  to  allow  him 
to  stay  at  home  and  work.  The  father's  answer  always 
was,  "Edward,  when  you  are  older,  you  will  always  be 
sorry  that  you  neglected  your  school."  The  answer  of  the 
heart,  though  not  expressed  in  words,  was,  "I  know  bet- 
ter."    I  am  not  prepared  to  say  that  I  have  much  feeling 

23 


24  AUTOBIOGRAPHY 

of  regret  for  the  loss  of  anything  that  possibly  could  be 
gotten  out  of  those  schools.  I  regard  them  as  practically 
worthless.  I  really  think  it  would  have  been  better  if  my 
'father  had  granted  my  request  and  kept  me  at  home.  I  am 
inclined  to  the  opinion  that  I  got  out  of  them  all  that  was 
possible,  and  all  that  other  boys  did  realize.  The  chief 
benefit  one  received  came  from  contact.  I  often  think  that 
children  get  more  of  intellectual  and  spiritual  growth  from 
their  plays  and  consequent  contact  than  from  their  books 
and  instruction.  This  part  of  my  early  training  was  abund- 
ant and  efficient. 

My  schoolmates  and  associates  were  not,  as  a  rule,  bad 
or  vicious.  Like  all  boys  and  girls,  they  were  fond  of  play, 
and  in  this  we  all  indulged  as  freely  as  opportunity  offered 
both  in  and  out  of  school.  For  both,  we  had  rare  faculties. 
Not  that  these  were  purposely  provided  by  the  district  or 
school  officers  but  the  environment  was  such  that  we  were 
able  to  appropriate  them  to  ourselves.  We  had  no  school 
grounds  provided  for  play.  I  suppose  that  land  at  that 
time  and  in  that  locality  might  have  been  five  or  ten  dollars 
an  acre,  and  the  trustees  felt  that  they  could  not  afford 
sufficient  land  'for  such  a  useless  purpose  as  a  play-ground. 
To  avoid  any  expense  of  this  kind,  they  placed  the  school- 
house  on  the  refuse  of  one  of  the  asheries  to  which  I  have 
already  referred.  The  boundaries  of  this  old  ash-heap  de- 
termined the  boundaries  of  the  school  lot  provided  by  the 
district. 

In  the  schoolroom  itself  we  entertained  ourselves  in  dis- 
cussing such  rude  pictures  as  we  found  in  our  spellers  and 
readers  and  geographies.  Thus  we  thumbed  out  the  books, 
but  never  really  studied  them.     If  a  picture  interested  us, 


EDWARD  AUSTIN  SHELDON  25 

we  would  read  to  find  what  was  said  about  it.  In  this  way 
I  read  over  and  over  again  what  the  old  man  said  to  the 
saucy  boy  in  the  apple  tree  and  the  boy's  treatment  of  the 
matter.  In  the  geography,  the  polar  bear  interested  me 
very  much,  and  I  literally  carved  him  up  with  my  jack- 
knife. 

Every  child,  old  or  young,  had  for  his  stock  reading  the 
old  English  reader.  There  was  little  in  it  that  I  under- 
stood, but  I  had  gone  over  it  so  many  times,  having  the 
words  pronounced  for  me  and  hearing  others  pronounce 
them,  that  I  had  learned  everything  by  heart;  and  being 
of  the  opinion  that  the  one  that  read  the  fastest  was  the 
best  reader,  I  used  to  rattle  it  off  as  fast  as  I  could  make 
my  tongue  go.  Not  understanding  the  meaning  of  anything 
I  read,  and  having  caught  wrong  pronunciation  from  hear- 
ing others  read,  I  discovered,  later  in  life,  that  I  had  made 
some  very  ridiculous  mistakes.  One  I  remember,  in  a  quo- 
tation from  the  Bible  which  reads,  "Is  thy  servant  a  dog 
that  he  should  do  this  thing?" — but  which  I  always  read  at 
school,  "Is  thy  servant  bedaubed  that  he  should  do  this 
thing?"  This  I  suppose  I  must  have  read,  or  more  properly 
recited,  so  rapidly,  that  the  teacher  never  discovered  the 
mistake.  I  do  not  remember  to  have  been  directly  taught 
anything  or  to  have  received  criticism  on  anything. 

I  was  always  interested  in  what  was  going  on  in  the 
schoolroom.  When  any  punishment  was  to  be  inflicted  I 
was  all  eyes  and  ears  to  know  all  about  it,  and  there  were 
some  very  unique  things  done  in  this  line.  Whipping  with 
the  rod  and  ferule  were  of  so  common  occurrence  that  they 
became  rather  stale  and  commonplace,  unless  some  new 
feature  came  in.     This  sometimes  occurred.     I  remember 


26  AUTOBIOGRAPHY 

the  case  of  my  cousin  Jabez  Ward,  who  was  sent  by  the 
master  to  get  a  beech  whip  with  which  to  take  a  chastise- 
ment. He  came  in  with  a  fine  efficient-looking  whip,  but 
he  had  taken  the  precaution  to  cut  it  almost  through,  in  a 
number  of  places,  so  that  as  the  master  should  strike  with 
it,  it  would  readily  fall  apart.  The  master  discovered  this 
trick,  and  sent  him  for  another  and  gave  him  a  double  dose. 

Another  boy  who  got  frequent  whippings,  managed  to 
put  on  several  waistcoats,  one  over  the  other,  in  this  way 
thinking  to  pad  himself  'for  the  blows.  He  was  obliged  to 
remove  one  after  another  until  the  whip  could  be  made  to 
feel  on  the  skin. 

A  few  teachers  with  more  fertility  of  device,  introduced 
some  quite  ingenious  penalties.  A  troublesome  boy  was 
placed  between  two  girls,  and  a  troublesome  girl  between 
two  boys.  The  punishment  consisted  in  the  ridicule  brought 
down  on  the  culprit's  head  by  the  school.  But  for  this  de- 
risive laugh,  one  might  have  thought  that  this  would  be  a 
very  agreeable  chastisement. 

Another  penalty  was  to  stand  and  hold  some  heavy  object, 
as  a  book,  in  the  hand,  with  the  arm  stretched  out  at  full 
length.  When  the  arm  faltered  some  reminder  from  the 
master  would  bring  it  up  to  place.  In  time,  this  pose  be- 
came very  painful.  Another  method,  similar  in  its  effect, 
was  to  require  the  recreant  to  stand  with  legs  erect  and 
bend  the  body  over  at  the  hips,  stretch  out  the  arm  to  its 
fullest  extent,  and  place  one  finger  on  a  nail  in  the  floor, 
with  the  pretense  of  holding  it  in  place  so  that  it  should 
not  come  out ;  if  he  began  to  lop  down  in  any  way,  a  sharp 
blow  'from  the  ruler  would  bring  him  into  position.  In 
time,  too,  this  became  exceedingly  painful. 


EDWARD  AUSTIN  SHELDON  27 

One  master  would  place  the  boy  on  the  toe  of  his  shoe 
with  the  leg  crossed  over  the  knee  and  toss  him  up  and 
down  a  few  times,  and  then  with  a  vigorous  toss  of  the  foot, 
throw  him  into  the  air  and  leave  him  to  descend  by  the 
force  of  gravity,  to  the  floor,  with  a  heavy  thud.  An- 
other device,  by  the  same  master,  was  a  gallows,  consisting 
of  a  strong  rope  suspended  from  the  ceiling  and  coming 
down  about  to  the  heads  of  ordinary  boys.  When  a  serious 
case  had  to  be  dealt  with  the  culprit  was  placed  under  the 
rope  and  the  master  would  then  take  from  his  pocket  a 
large,  strong,  red  silk  handkerchief  and  begin  to  twist  it 
into  the  form  of  a  rope,  talking  in  the  meantime  to  the 
boy  as  though  his  end  was  near,  to  prepare  his  mind  for 
the  final  event  so  near  at  hand.  The  handkerchief  would 
be  adjusted  to  the  boy's  neck  and  when  he  began  to  feel  the 
pull  on  his  throat,  the  effect  the  master  desired  to  make  on 
the  boy  was  considered  satisfactory  and  a  reprieve  was 
granted.  Of  course,  this  scheme  soon  wore  out  and  some 
other  device  had  to  be  substituted.  Another  master  was 
reported  as  kicking  his  pupils  in  punishment,  but  I  was 
never  an  eye-witness  to  this  proceeding. 

Personally,  I  never  suffered  very  seriously  from  the 
school  punishments.  The  worst  thing  that  happened  to  me 
in  this  line  was  to  be  caught  by  the  collar  and  thrown 
through  the  air  backward  into  the  middle  of  the  floor,  land- 
ing on  the  back  of  my  head  in  a  way  that  stunned  me. 

The  arrangement  of  the  seats  was  on  this  wise:  we  had 
no  desks  proper,  but  around  the  outside  of  the  room  against 
the  wall  ran  a  pine  board,  sixteen  or  eighteen  inches  wide, 
with  front  edge  an  inch  or  two  lower  than  the  rear  edge. 
This  served  as  writing-desk  or  support  for  the  books  when 


28  AUTOBIOGRAPHY 

"studying."  In  front  of  this  shelf  were  arranged  pine 
benches  without  backs  on  which  to  sit.  All  the  pupils  had 
to  do  when  they  wished  to  face  the  wall  was  to  throw  their 
feet  over  this  bench  or  get  them  over  as  best  they  could. 
When  sitting  at  the  writing  desk  in  this  way,  our  backs 
were  toward  the  master.  Lower  benches  were  arranged 
around  the  room  'for  the  younger  children. 

One  of  the  rules  of  the  school  was  that  there  should  be 
no  eating  of  fruit  in  the  schoolroom.  At  recess  I  had 
been  eating  an  apple,  and  when  the  rap  on  the  window 
called  us  in,  I  came  promptly,  with  some  of  the  apple  I  had 
been  eating  still  in  my  mouth.  I  took  my  seat,  facing  the 
wall.  The  next  thing  that  happened  to  me  I  have  already 
stated.  I  went 'home,  not  to  return  for  some  days,  not 
until  the  teacher  had  apologized  to  my  father  for  his  rude, 
hasty  treatment  of  a  boy  innocent  of  any  serious  offense. 

The  only  other  punishment  at  school  to  which  I  remem- 
ber having  taken  any  particular  exception,  was  the  require- 
ment of  the  teacher  that  I  should  kiss  my  great  toe.  The 
fact  that  the  teacher  was  a  cousin  made  the  demand  none 
the  less  offensive.  It  is  true  I  had  just  performed  the  act 
of  my  own  accord  as  a  bit  o'f  fun,  which  led  the  teacher 
to  require  a  repetition  of  the  performance  as  a  punishment. 
The  conditions  were  very  different.  In  the  one  case  it  was 
a  voluntary  act  entered  into  to  amuse  my  seatmates,  and 
in  the  other  case  it  was  forced  upon  myself  for  the  amuse- 
ment of  the  teacher  and  the  ridicule  of  companions. 

As  a  rule,  instruments  of  punishment  were  kept  on  hand 
ready  for  use.  In  the  teacher's  desk  securely  locked  were 
whips,  ferules,  fool's  caps  and  dunce-blocks,  so  that  no 
time  need  be  lost  for  the  application  while  the  temper  was 


EDWARD  AUSTIN  SHELDON  29 

still  hot.  This  particular  teacher  who  was  so  ingenious  in 
his  method  of  punishment,  was  also  ingenious  in  other 
directions.  He  believed  in  keeping  his  school  wide  awake, 
a  feature  in  which  he  succeeded  very  well.  Among  other 
tricks  he  resorted  to  when  things  got  a  little  dull,  was  to 
have  the  school  drop  everything  and  spell  the  'following 
words  in  concert:  Ho,  no,  hone-;  ri,  honori;  fi,  honorifi-; 
ca,  honorifica-;  hi,  honorificahi- ;  li,  honori ficabili;  to,  honori- 
ficabilito-;  ti,  honorificabilitoti- ;  bus,  honori ficabilitotibus- ; 
que,  honorificabilitotibiisqiie.  Every  syllable  spelled  was 
pronounced  by  itself  and  then  added  to  the  preceding  syll- 
ables, and  the  word  so  far  as  completed  was  pronounced 
and  the  last  syllable  was  long  drawn  out  with  a  tremendous 
squeal.  This  was  always  entered  into  with  great  gusto,  and 
was  sure  to  wake  up  all  drowsy  souls. 

The  "spelling  school"  was  a  characteristic  feature  of  these 
old-time  country  schools,  and  one  that  especially  interested 
me.  Not  the  spelling,  at  all.  I  didn't  care  a  fig  about 
learning  to  spell.  I  utterly  despised  learning  of  all  kinds. 
I  regarded  grammatical  forms  of  speech  as  stilted,  bom- 
bastic, "set  up."  The  dialect  of  the  neighborhood  was 
good  enough  for  me.  I  was  interested  in  the  evening 
spelUng  schools  on  account  of  their  social  element,  their 
jolly  fellowship,  and  particularly  because  they  afforded  an 
opportunity  of  "going  home  with  the  girls." 


CHAPTER   VI 

THE  DOMESTIC  LIFE  OF  THE  BOY  ON  THE  FARM 

I  HAVE  no  remembrance  of  a  cross  or  unkind  word  that 
ever  passed  between  my  father  and  mother.  They  were 
uniformly  respectful,  kind,  and  loving  toward  each  other. 

We  children  had  a  genuine  affection  for  our  parents  and 
never  thought  of  disobeying  them.  Our  father  said  little, 
but  when  he  spoke,  his  words  were  like  orders  to  us.  My 
mother  was  more  social  in  her  nature  and  talked  more 
freely.  She  was  intelligent,  she  was  well  educated  for  a 
woman  in  her  time,  and  she  talked  good  sense.  We  had  a 
feeling  of  reverence  for  both  parents. 

All  our  domestic  habits  were  very  simple,  our  diet  was 
plain,  but  everything  was  wholesome  and  well-cooked.  Our 
meats  were  largely  salt  pork  and  beef,  with  an  occasional 
cod  or  salmon.  Fresh  meat  came  in  occasionally.  The 
meats  were  mostly  fried  for  breakfast  and  boiled  for  dinner. 
For  supper,  we  often  had  dried  beef  cooked  in  a  delicious 
milk  gravy.  Of  this  we  never  tired.  Milk  was  abundant 
and  we  used  it  freely.  In  the  season  of  currants  and 
raspberries,  I  enjoyed  nothing  better  than  a  bowl  of  bread 
and  milk  with  currants  or  other  berries.  We  were  also 
fond  of  jellies  and  honey,  of  which  we  always  had  an 
abundant  supply.     Pies,  doughnuts,  and  cookies  were  al- 

30 


EDWARD  AUSTIN  SHELDON  31 

ways  on  hand.  We  never  thought  of  closing  any  meal 
without  a  piece  of  pie. 

Cold  water  was  our  only  beverage,  except  that  my  mother 
had  an  occasional  cup  of  tea,  or  of  homemade  barley  coffee. 
This  was  made  by  scorching  barley  and  grinding  it,  and 
using  it  the  same  as  coffee.  It  was  a  palatable  and  nourish- 
ing drink.  My  'father  used  no  tobacco  or  spirituous 
beverages  of  any  kind.  As  a  family  it  might  have  been 
said  of  us  very  truly  and  in  a  literal  sense  that  we  were 
every  one  of  us  tee-totalers. 

Our  clothing  was  always  of  the  plainest  and  most  sub- 
stantial kind,  largely  homemade.  Our  best  suits  were  worn 
only  on  Sundays  or  rare  social  occasions.  We  put  them  on 
Sunday  morning  after  the  chores  were  done  and  the  horses 
harnessed  and  doffed  them  immediately  on  reaching  home 
after  the  church  services.  They  were  carefully  put  away  in 
a  dark  closet,  where  they  were  safe  from  dust  and  moths. 
In  this  way  they  lasted  a  long  time,  sometimes  until  we 
quite  outgrew  them  and  the  fashion  was  left  far  behind. 

This  careful  economy  brought  thrift  and  the  old  house, 
in  due  time,  gave  place  to  a  new  and  better  one.  We  were 
many  years  accumulating  the  materials  for  the  new  house. 
Logs  were  cut  in  the  woods  and  drawn  to  the  saw-mill  in 
the  neighborhood,  already  alluded  to,  and  out  of  these  were 
sawn  boards  and  the  smaller  pieces  of  timber  for  various 
uses  in  the  construction  of  the  new  house.  The  heavy 
timbers  were  cut  and  hewn  in  the  woods.  The  pine  lumber 
we  went  to  Portage  Falls  to  get,  nine  miles  away. 

At  last,  after  some  years  of  gathering  materials  and  other 
preparations,  we  were  ready  to  raise  the  frame  of  the  new 
house.    The  thing  now  in  order  was  a  "raising  bee."    All 


32  AUTOBIOGRAPHY 

able-bodied  men  within  the  compass  of  a  mile  or  two 
were  invited  to  the  bee.  Great  preparations  were  made 
for  this  grand  occasion — one  of  the  most  important  in  the 
life  of  a  farmer.  All  the  good  things  the  housewife  could 
devise  were  prepared  in  its  honor.  Cakes  in  great  variety, 
the  richest  and  the  best  that  could  be  made,  lemonade  and 
other  "soft  drinks"  w<2re  provided. 

The  bee  over,  the  finishing  of  the  house  went  on,  slowly — 
very  slowly.  It  was  a  long  time  before  it  was  completed. 
My  "father  was  very  particular  to  have  everything  well  done, 
and  the  carpenter,  a  slow  mortal  at  best,  took  his  own  time 
for  it. 

The  one  thing  about  the  house  for  which  my  father  had 
the  most  care,  was  the  chimney  with  the  accompanying 
fireplace.  In  the  old  house  was  a  liberal  fireplace  with  its 
cranes  and  hooks  and  chains,  and  the  new  one  must  be 
built  on  a  still  more  liberal  and  better  plan.  At  the  end — 
what  was  his  disappointment  to  find  that  the  chimney 
smoked!  This  was  a  sore  trial  to  my  father.  It  had  to 
be  reconstructed  and  made  to  "draw." 

This  new  fireplace  would  hold,  at  a  low  estimate,  an 
eighth  of  a  cord  of  wood  prepared  for  "the  purpose.  This 
wood  was  piled  up  at  the  side  of  the  fireplace  ready  for 
the  morning  fire.  There  was  a  "back  log,"  and  the  "little 
back  log"  designed  to  go  on  the  top  of  the  big  one.  Then 
there  was  a  fore  stick,  a  log  of  no  mean  dimensions,  and 
between  this  and  the  back  logs  was  ample  space  for  filling 
in  with  the  small  wood.  When  once  fully  afire,  this  pile 
made  an  astonishing  blaze,  with  intense  heat. 

The  crane  was  strong  and  ample  for  holding  the  kettles, 
large  and  small,  that  were  required  'for  cooking  and  other 


EDWARD  AUSTIN  SHELDON  33 

housekeeping  pittposes.  Generous  provision  was  made  for 
a  brick  oven  in  which  to  do  the  baking  of  the  household.  A 
smaller  fireplace  was  arranged  in  the  bedroom  intended  for 
my  father  and  mother. 

I  remember  well  when  all  these  gave  way  to  the  modern 
stove.  With  this  change  came  much  of  increased  comfort 
and  reduction  of  labor,  but  at  the  same  time  there  was  a  loss 
that  we  all  felt,  and  none  more  than  my  father  and  the  chil- 
dren, who  always  enjoyed  the  bright,  cheerful  blazing  fire. 
It  is  true  that  in  cold  weather  we  found  it  difficult  to  warm 
more  than  one  side  at  a  time:  but  what  of  that? — we  could 
readily  change  sides,  and  there  was  a  pleasant  glow  of 
warmth  from  the  open  fire  that  the  stove  never  gives.  How- 
ever, considerations  of  economy  and  labor-saving  prevailed, 
and  the  old-fashioned  fireplace  and  brick  oven  had  to  be 
sacrificed  for  the  introduction  of  more  modern  methods  in 
heating  and  baking. 

Before  the  advent  of  the  stove  and  range,  we  used  as  a 
partial  substitute  for  the  old  brick  oven,  a  tin  oven,  a  sort 
of  reflector  that  was  placed  before  the  open  fireplace,  in 
which  were  set  the  loaves  of  bread  or  pies  to  be  baked.  It 
was  so  constructed  with  flaring  sides  and  top,  as  to  catch 
the  rays  of  heat  and  concentrate  them  on  the  contents  of 
the  oven.  This  was  a  sort  of  connecting  link  between  the 
brick  oven  and  the  stove,  and  as  such  served  a  very  good 
purpose.  Then  came  in,  too,  the  open  Franklin  stove,  which 
was  placed  in  the  parlor,  a  room  only  used  on  state  occa- 
sions. It  was,  indeed,  a  very  meager  substitute  for  the 
fireplace  as  its  capacity  for  wood  was  scarcely  one-tenth 
that  o'f  the  latter.  It  gave,  however,  an  open  fire,  and  in 
this  way  reminded  one  of  by-gones. 


34  AUTOBIOGRAPHY 

Under  the  whole  house  was  a  superb  cellar.  That  was 
the  place  where  the  vegetables,  fruits,  meats,  and  other 
necessary  supplies  for  the  household  were  stored.  This 
was  always  well  filled,  and  it  was  a  sight  well  calculated 
to  make  a  farmer  quite  contented,  to  go  into  the  cellar  after 
the  apples,  potatoes,  and  other  vegetables  were  stored 
away  for  winter  use.  There  was  the  cider  barrel,  the 
vinegar  barrel,  the  pork  barrel,  the  beef  barrel,  the  barrel 
of  apple  sauce,  the  great  bins  filled  to  overflowing  with  such 
apples  as  are  seldom  seen  now-a-days,  in  every  variety,  and 
the  great  potato  bin  with  its  ample  store.  I  have  rarely  seen 
such  a  sight  as  my  father's  cellar  presented  in  those 
halcyon  days.  All  this  greatly  added  to  our  comfort  and 
convenience,  and  my  father  and  mother  lived  many  years  to 
enjoy  these  hard-earned  enlargements. 

My  mother  was  an  excellent  cook,  made  all  our  butter 
and  cheese,  with  some  to  spare  for  the  market,  to  be  ex- 
changed 'for  groceries  or  other  household  necessities.  She 
also  made  soap,  spun  and  wove  the  linen  cloth  for  the  bags, 
towels,  and  much  of  the  summer  wear  o'f  the  household, 
besides  many  of  the  woolen  garments  worn  by  the  children 
and  other  members  of  the  household.  Some  of  these  gar- 
ments, both  in  linen  and  in  wool,  constituted  an  important 
item  of  the  outfit  of  the  boy  when  he  went  to  college.  She 
looked  after  the  wardrobe  of  the  family,  washing,  ironing, 
mending  the  clothing,  and  darning  the  stockings. 

All  this  our  mother  did  with  occasional  outside  help, 
added  to  what  assistance  was  rendered  by  my  sister,  who 
was  never  well  or  strong.  Mother  was  always  the  last  in 
the  house  to  retire,  and  much  of  her  needle-work  was  done 


EDWARD  AUSTIN  SHELDON  35 

while  we  were  in  bed.  To  us,  she  seemed  a  remarkable 
woman — one  in  a  thousand.  I  have  yet  to  see  a  better 
ordered,  better  kept,  better  fed,  and,  as  a  whole,  more  de- 
sirable domestic  household  than  that  over  which  my  mother 
and  father  presided. 


CHAPTER   VII 

THE  RELIGIOUS  LIFE  OF  THE  BOY  ON  THE  FARM 

My  FATHER  and  mother  were  Calvinists  of  the  New  Eng- 
land type.  Next  to  the  Bible,  my  father  placed  Dr.  Em- 
mons' sermons,  a  complete  set  of  whose  works  he  presented 
to  each  of  his  children.  He  usually  read  one  of  these  ser- 
mons aloud  to  the  assembled  family  every  Sabbath  after- 
noon. Dr.  Spring  of  New  York,  and  Dr.  Weeks  were  also 
among  his  favorite  teachers.  He  firmly  believed  and  stoutly 
advocated  their  doctrines,  and  rejected  everything  that  did 
not  agree  with  them.  Naturally  enough,  the  children,  with 
their  confidence  and  respect  for  their  parents,  never  ques- 
tioned the  points  held  by  them. 

The  sovereignity  of  God,  His  immutable  decrees.  His 
foreknowledge,  foreordination  and  election,  the  necessity  of 
faith  in  Christ,  repentance,  and  sanctification,  to  salvation, 
formed  the  meat  on  which  we  were  fed.  Rightly  inter- 
preted and  understood,  I  doubt  whether  there  is  any  escape 
from  the  conclusions  to  which  these  doctrines  led.  At  any 
rate,  such  was  our  faith,  and  having  been  so  trained,  it 
never  ceases  to  influence  our  minds  and  our  lives. 

Believing  as  I  did  the  necessity  for  regeneration,  or 
change  of  heart,  for  salvation,  I  longed  for  the  experience 
indicative  of  such  a  change.  We  always  went  to  church 
regularly,  never  omitting  any  church  service,  fair  weather 

36 


EDWARD  AUSTIN  SHELDON  37 

or  stormy.  I  gave  such  respectful  attention  to  the  sermon 
and  other  services  as  a  boy  could  give.  I  honestly  desired 
to  be  rightly  affected  by  them,  and  although  I  realized  little 
impression  made  upon  my  mind  or  heart  by  all  that  minister 
said,  out  of  respect  to  him  I  kept  my  eyes  fixed  on  him,  so 
far  as  I  was  able  to  keep  awake ;  and  I  distinctly  remember 
at  least  one  occasion  when  I  thought  I  ought  to  be  deeply 
affected,  even  to  tears,  but  was  not.  I  did  what  I  could 
to  give  the  minister  the  impression  that  I  was  so  affected, 
by  wetting  my  fingers  in  my  mouth,  and  with  them  my 
eyes,  thinking  in  this  way  to  give  the  appearance  of  tears. 

It  was  not  until  many  years  later,  when  quite  a  well- 
grown  youth,  that  I  thought  any  real  change  of  heart  came 
to  me.  It  was  then  that  new  emotions  came  into  my  soul. 
I  felt  as  I  had  not  felt  before.  A  spiritual  element  entered 
into  my  life  which  I  had  not  previously  realized.  Even  the 
external  world,  itself,  put  on  a  coloring  that  I  had  not  seen 
before.  I  saw  myself  in  a  new  light.  My  heart  was  filled 
with  joy  and  rejoicing.  What  I  had  so  long  desired  had 
come  to  me.  I  now  realized  myself  a  Christian.  It  was  not, 
however,  considered  safe  to  admit  a  new  convert  into  the 
church  until  sufficient  time  had  been  given  in  which  to  test 
the  genuineness  of  the  conversion.  In  due  time,  after  a 
year  or  so,  in  1840,  when  I  was  seventeen  years  of  age,  I 
was  received  into  the  Congregational  Church  at  Ferry 
Center. 

From  this  time  on,  I  read  many  religious  books  of  a 
highly  spiritual  order — books  that  were  well  calculated  to 
search  the  heart  and  test  the  genuineness  of  the  spiritual 
life.  Measured  by  these  tests,  I  felt  that  I  had  not  the 
proper  evidence  of  a  change  of  heart,  and  that  I  had  no  right 


38  AUTOBIOGRAPHY 

to  a  membership  in  the  church  of  Christ,  and  asked  to  have 
my  name  stricken  from  the  church  roll.  I  was  informed 
by  the  pastor  that  this  could  not  be  done  so  long  as  there 
was  no  outward  act  that  made  me  liable  to  discipline.  As 
I  had  no  inclination  to  commit  such  acts,  no  alternative  was 
left  me  but  to  let  the  whole  matter  rest  as  it  was,  and  I  con- 
tinued a  member  in  good  fellowship. 

At  home  we  always  had  family  prayers  in  the  morning 
immediately  a'fter  breakfast,  and  on  Sabbath  afternoons 
before  sunset.  With  us,  in  accordance  with  New  England 
custom,  the  Sabbath  began  with  the  going  down  of  the  sun 
on  Saturday  night  and  ended  with  its  setting  on  Sunday 
night.  Before  sunset  on  Saturday  night,  all  the  farm  work 
was  laid  aside;  the  milking  of  the  cows,  the  care  of  the 
stock,  and  all  chores  were  "done  up,"  and  when  the  sun  was 
down  we  were  all  supposed  to  be  quiet  in  the  house,  and 
religious  reading  of  some  sort  was  in  order.  No  whistling 
or  secular  songs,  or  light  or  trifling  conversation  were  al- 
lowed between  the  two  setting  suns.  I  well  remember  as 
a  small  boy,  how  I  used  to  go  out  and  watch  the  last  ray 
of  the  setting  sun  as  it  disappeared  below  the  horizon  on 
Sabbath  night.  I  was  then  set  free  to  play  as  much  as  I 
pleased.  This  was  the  night  of  the  week  for  social  gath- 
erings and  the  frolics  of  the  children.  This  custom  held 
sway  for  many  years  after  I  left  home  and  had  a  family 
of  my  own. 

Brought  up  in  such  a  home,  it  is  not  a  matter  of  wonder 
that  the  old  man  thus  trained  as  a  boy,  is  not  given  to  Sun- 
day parties,  Sunday  dinners,  Sunday  riding,  or  secular  oc- 
cupations of  any  kind.    The  old  proverb,  "Train  up  a  child 


EDWARD  AUSTIN  SHELDON  39 

in  the  way  he  should  go,  and  when  he  is  old  he  will  not 
depart  from  it,"  has  proven  true  in  my  case  at  least.  At 
three  score  years  and  ten  and  three  more,  I  find  myself  in- 
clined to  the  beliefs  and  practices  in  which  I  was  trained. 


CHAPTER  VIII 

PREPARING   FOR   COLLEGE 

Thus  far  I  have  endeavored  to  give  an  account  of  what 
came  to  me  as  a  boy  on  the  farm.  At  the  turning  point 
between  youth  and  young  manhood,  a  circumstance  occurred 
that  changed  the  plans  of  my  whole  life,  and  turned  all 
my  ambitions  into  an  entirely  new  channel.  When  I  was 
seventeen,  Mr,  Charles  Huntington,  just  out  of  college,  came 
to  Perry  Center  and  opened  a  private  school.  Into  this  school 
were  gathered  most  of  the  young  men  and  women  of  the 
town  in  the  immediate  vicinity.  Here  for  the  first  time  I 
became  interested  in  books,  and  began  to  study. 

Mr.  Huntington  had  the  power  to  arouse  enthusiasm  in 
his  pupils,  and  he  it  was  who  first  waked  me  up  and  aroused 
in  me  new  aspirations.  I  found  new  acquaintances,  and 
among  them  was  John  D.  Higgins,  whose  mother  resided  at 
Perry  Village,  two  miles  away.  The  inspiration  of  the  teach- 
ers had  given  to  him  also,  as  well  as  to  many  another  boy 
in  this  school,  new  life  and  ambition.  He  became  a  fre- 
quent visitor  at  our  house,  and  one  day,  as  we  were  coming 
down  the  street  talking  over  our  life  plans,  we  mutually 
agreed  that  an  education  was  the  thing  'for  which  we  ought 
to  strive;  and  we  then  and  there  resolved  that  we  would 
bend  our  efforts  in  this  direction,  and  get  such  an  education 
as  a  college  would  give  us.     Stopping  in  the  middle  of  the 

40 


EDWARD  AUSTIN  SHELDON  41 

road,  we  shook  hands  over  this  resolution  ,and  from  this 
purpose  we  never  swerved. 

Up  to  this  time  I  had  detested  both  books  and  the  school, 
and  as  a  consequence  I  had  no  intellectual  equipment.  My 
father  had  always  urged  me  to  go  to  school,  and  I  had  as 
persistently  urged  to  be  allowed  to  stay  at  home  and  work 
on  the  farm.  All  at  once  my  father's  and  my  ideas  were 
reversed.  I  had  now  come  to  an  age  when  I  could  make 
myself  very  useful  on  the  farm,  and  my  father  desired  my 
services,  and  wanted  to  make  a  farmer  of  me.  My  younger 
brother,  I  was  told  by  the  farm  hands,  was  destined  to  be 
a  scholar  and  a  doctor,  and  I  a  farmer;  an  arrangement, 
as  I  now  look  back  upon  it,  very  natural  for  my  parents 
to  make,  for  my  brother  had  shown  much  more  taste  and 
aptitude  for  books  than  I,  while  I  had  shown  more  skill 
and  interest  in  farming.  So  now  my  father  wanted  me  to 
stay  at  home  on  the  farm  just  when  I  wanted  to  go  to 
school. 

I  had  become  so  thoroughly  in  earnest  in  my  desire  for 
an  education  that,  being  naturally  headstrong  and  persist- 
ent, I  set  about  it  with  a  full  determination  to  accomplish  it. 
A  man  living  two  or  three  miles  'from  our  house,  who  some- 
times did  work  for  my  father,  had  a  Latin  grammar  and 
dictionary,  which  he  oflfered  to  lend  me.  This  offer  I 
eagerly  accepted,  lost  no  time  in  going  for  them,  and  began 
the  study  of  Latin  in  earnest.  Seeing  that  my  purpose  was 
fully  set  in  this  direction,  and  accepting  the  advice  of  my 
teacher,  my  father  no  longer  objected  or  put  obstacles  in 
my  way,  but,  on  the  contrary,  gave  me  every  possible  aid 
in  his  power.  My  elementary  education  had  been  wholly 
neglected,  and  I  had  much  to  do  in  repairing  the  loss  that 


42  AUTOBIOGRAPHY 

had  just  come  to  my  comprehension;  what  my  father  had 
said  so  often,  came  true — I  was  reaping  the  fruits  of  my 
early  neglect,  to  my  sorrow. 

"Brother  John,"  as  I  now  called  my  new  friend,  and  I 
took  a  room  together  in  the  upper  gable  end  of  a  shoeshop, 
where  he  had  been  learning  his  trade,  and  we  settled  down 
to  earnest  work  in  preparation  for  entering  college.  We 
were  pretty  well  matched  in  taste  and  natural  ability,  and 
we  worked  together  most  harmoniously.  So  our  academic 
life  passed  on  in  a  very  agreeable  way.  I  slept  at  home, 
and  he  in  the  shop,  except  on  the  nights  when  he  went  home 
to  stay  with  me.  On  going  to  school,  I  would  fill  my  pockets 
with  apples,  and  divide  with  "Brother  John,"  and  when  he 
went  home  with  me  at  night,  we  always  paid  a  visit  to  the 
cellar,  where  we  feasted  on  honey  and  apples. 

Our  progress  as  students  was  not  rapid,  but  we  applied 
ourselves  earnestly  and  patiently,  and  so  got  on  fairly  well. 
"Brother  John's"  talent  was  rather  for  writing,  and  mine 
for  speaking.  He  occasionally  wrote  articles  for  country 
papers,  and  I  attended  all  the  debating  societies,  took  an 
active  part  in  the  public  exercises  of  the  school,  and  espe- 
cially in  all  the  exhibitions  and  dialogues,  of  which  there 
were  not  a  few.  In  this  way,  I  got  a  little  local  reputation 
as  an  actor  and  speaker,  which  greatly  flattered  my  pride 
and  ambition,  and  I  formed  the  resolution  to  prepare  myself 
for  the  bar  and  public  positions.  My  chum  resolved  to  pur- 
chase a  Webster's  dictionary  and  give  himself  the  task  of 
learning  the  orthography  and  meaning  of  every  word,  from 
beginning  to  end,  the  better  to  serve  his  purpose  as  a  writer. 

We  have  both  lived  long  enough  to  be  amused  at  our  reso- 
lutions and  realize  their  folly.     Like  many  another  youth- 


EDWARD  AUSTIN  SHELDON  43 

ful  ambition,  they  were  soon  left  behind.  Of  the  two,  my 
chum's  undertaking  was  the  more  herculean,  and  sooner 
found  its  end.  My  tenacity  led  me  to  hold  on  to  my  ambi- 
tion until  circumstances  quite  beyond  my  control  cut  off  all 
my  plans. 

These  were  not  the  only  resolutions  that  were  formed  by 
one  or  the  other,  or  both,  that  met  with  an  untimely  end. 
One  time  "Brother  John"  resolved  that  he  would  not  be 
bothered  with  a  razor  all  his  life,  and  providing  himself 
with  a  pair  of  tweezers,  began  to  pull  out  every  hair  by  the 
roots  as  fast  as  it  appeared  on  his  face.  I  cannot  say  how 
long  he  persevered  in  his  undertaking,  but  I  imagine  about 
as  long  as  in  his  resolution  to  devour  Webster's  Unabridged 
Dictionary. 

Early  one  summer  we  resolved  to  introduce  a  new  style 
in  the  cut  of  coats.  We  were  both  to  buy  the  same  material 
and  have  full  summer  suits  just  alike  in  every  respect.  The 
coats  were  cutaways,  just  such  as  are  now  worn.  I  have 
never  thought  we  introduced  this  fashion,  but  with  us  it 
was  certainly  original,  for  we  had  never  seen  such  a  gar- 
ment, and  no  one  had  suggested  the  idea  to  us.  I  had  my 
suit  made  according  to  agreement,  and  came  sailing  up  the 
aisle  of  the  academy  one  Monday  morning,  greatly  amusing 
both  pupils  and  teachers.  I  shall  never  forget  how  com- 
pletely I  demoralized  the  dignity  of  Mr.  Huntington,  when 
his  eye  first  caught  sight  of  me.  But  I  was  not  to  be 
laughed  out  of  what  seemed  to  me  a  sensible  idea,  and  went 
on  wearing  the  cutaway  until  it  was  worn  out. 

When  John  saw  how  our  idea  took,  his  heart  failed  him, 
and  he  never  appeared  in  his  suit.    In  other  words,  he  broke 


44  AUTOBIOGRAPHY 

the  contract,  and  I  had  to  live  down  the  ridicule  single- 
handed. 

It  was  not,  however,  characteristic  of  my  chum  to  break 
his  agreements,  and  especially  in  more  important  matters. 
It  is  a  rare  individual  who  can  breast  public  sentiment  in 
matters  of  fashion  and  dress.  This  was  more  than  my 
chum  was  competent  to  undertake,  and  very  likely  had  he 
been  the  one  first  to  appear  in  this  new  costume,  I  should 
have  hesitated  to  follow,  but  once  having  committed  myself, 
I  was  the  last  one  to  retreat.  I  had  too  much  pride  and 
spunk  for  this.  Stubborness  was  characteristic  of  me  as  a 
boy,  a  trait  that  never  entirely  left  me. 

It  was  about  this  time  that  we  formed  our  resolution  to 
go  through  college  together,  a  pledge  from  which,  as  I 
have  said,  we  never  wavered,  although  circumstances  quite 
beyond  my  control  prevented  the  full  completion  of  my 
course.  From  this  time  on,  everything  was  made  to  bend 
to  the  accomplishment  of  our  purpose.  John  helped  to 
carry  himself  through  his  preparatory  course  by  work  at 
the  shoemaker's  bench.  The  only  assistance  I  was  able  to 
render  him  was  to  furnish  him  with  all  the  apples  he  could 
eat,  with  which  I  always  filled  my  pockets  to  overflowing 
every  morning,  and  o'f  which  he  always  had  a  liberal  share. 
I  suppose  that  his  family  friends  must  have  done  for  him 
more  than  I  knew,  for  I  can  hardly  conceive  that  his 
expenses  were  fully  provided  for  by  the  work  he  did  at 
his  trade,  or  by  the  proceeds  of  a  singing  school  he  occa- 
sionally taught.  As  for  myself,  I  lived  at  home  and  was 
there  provided  with  necessary  clothing  and  books. 

During  a  short  period  of  this  preparatory  course,  I  occu- 
pied the  office  of  our  town  physician.  Dr.  Ward,  as  a  place 


EDWARD  AUSTIN  SHELDON  45 

of  study  during  the  day,  with  my  cousin,  Stewart  Sheldon, 
who  had  also  decided  to  prepare  for  college.  This  physi- 
cian was  a  man  of  no  ordinary  character.  He  was  the  only 
doctor  in  our  part  of  the  town  and  was  known  'far  and 
near.  He  had  the  confidence  and  respect  of  everybody,  and 
left  the  impress  of  his  strong  character  upon  the  church 
and  people  generally.  I  shall  never  forget  the  shock  that 
was  felt  in  the  assembled  congregation  one  Sabbath  morn- 
ing, when  his  death  was  announced.  Everybody  in  that 
congregation  was  a  personal  friend  and  a  mourner. 
Although  in  some  ways  odd  and  peculiar,  both  in  manner 
and  ideas,  he  had  a  warm  heart  and  tender  affections. 

I  came  very  near  this  man,  and  he  had  an  important  influ- 
ence on  my  life  and  character. 

The  man,  however,  who  had  the  most  to  do  with  my  life, 
was  my  teacher,  C.  A.  Huntington.  I  may  truthfully  say 
that  he  made  me  what  I  proved  to  be  and  to  him  I  owe  a 
debt  of  gratitude  I  shall  never  be  able  fully  to  express.  But 
for  him  I  should  have  died  on  the  farm,  unlettered,  and 
my  influence  would  have  been  greatly  circumscribed.  What 
was  true  in  my  case  was  also  true  of  many  another  Perry 
boy,  who,  through  his  influence,  went  out  into  the  broad 
world  to  make  himself  felt  in  a  large  way. 


CHAPTER   IX 

INTRODUCTION  TO  COLLEGE  LIFE :  COLLEGE  ASSOCIATIONS  :  1844 

It  was  in  the  autumn  of  1844  that  four  of  these  boys  left 
together  for  Hamilton  College,  with  such  meager  prepara- 
tion as  we  had  been  able  to  make  in  four  short  years.  I 
can  say  for  myself  that  my  elementary  English  education 
was  pretty  much  left  out,  and  judging  from  the  answers 
given  by  some  of  my  comrades  at  our  entrance  examina- 
tion, in  President  North's  house,  I  would  infer  that  the  same 
thing  was  true  of  them.  I  recall  one  of  these  questions  and 
answers.  The  President  asked  one  of  my  associates  to 
locate  the  river  Nile.  This  he  readily  did,  but  in  a  very 
different  quarter  'from  that  in  which  the  Creator  placed  it, 
for  he  put  it  somewhere  in  South  America.  Whether  all 
our  answers  were  as  wide  of  the  mark  or  not,  I  will  not 
at  this  distance  of  time  undertake  to  say,  but  my  presump- 
tion is  that  it  was  not  altogether  an  exceptional  case. 

I  am  of  the  opinion  that  the  decision  to  admit  us  was 
made  before  the  examination,  and  that  our  failure  or  suc- 
cess in  answering  questions  had  very  little  to  do  with  our 
acceptance.  At  any  rate,  we  four  Perry  boys,  John  D.  Hig- 
gins,  Stewart  Sheldon,  Henry  Butler,  and  myself,  were 
admitted  in  spite  of  our  poor  preparation.  Three  of  us 
were  cousins,  and  John,  as  I  have  said,  I  called  brother. 

This  going  to  college  was  a  great  ^yent  in  ouf  Ijy??,    It 

46 


EDWARD  AUSTIN  SHELDON  47 

was  much  more  so  to  boys  in  that  day  than  it  is  now,  and 
more  to  us  and  our  immediate  famiHes  than  to  many  others. 
I  started  out  with  the  ambitious  intention  of  spending  four 
years  in  college  and  three  years  in  a  law  school.  This  to 
my  boyish  mind  seemed  a  long,  long  time,  and  I  so  expressed 
myself  to  my  good  minister  whose  reply  I  well  remember. 
He  said,  "Take  your  knapsack  and  go  ahead ;  and  when,  at 
the  end  o'f  your  course,  you  look  back,  it  will  seem  shorter 
to  you  than  it  does  now."  Although  I  never  reached  the 
end  of  the  course  I  had  laid  out  for  myself,  I  went  far 
enough  to  make  it  evident  to  me  that  the  minister  was  right. 
I  have  always  found  the  prospective  end  farther  away  than 
the  retrospective  beginning. 

That  day  of  departure  from  the  dear  old  home  and  its 
loved  ones  brought  to  me  a  strange  mixture  of  emotions. 
My  father  had  asked  the  minister  to  be  present  at  the  time 
of  my  leaving,  and  had  selected  the  thirty-third  chapter  of 
Exodus  to  be  read,  probably  having  in  mind  the  sentiment 
contained  in  the  fourteenth,  fifteenth,  and  sixteenth  verses. 
After  the  final  meal  had  been  taken,  all  were  gathered  round 
the  'family  altar ;  the  minister  read  the  chosen  chapter,  and 
led  in  prayer.  It  was  an  impressive  occasion,  never  to  be 
forgotten.  I  have  always  regarded  this  as  an  epoch  in  my 
hfe. 

No  other  event  of  my  life  so  thoroughly  stirred  all  that 
was  in  me.  The  scenes  and  activities  that  I  was  leaving 
behind,  and  those  that  lay  before  me,  into  which  I  was  about 
to  enter,  were  well  calculated  to  awaken  emotion  of  no 
ordinary  character. 

The  large,  square  trunk,  that  had  been  made  for  this 
purpose,  was  filled  to  its  utmost  capacity  with  such  wear- 


48  AUTOBIOGRAPHY 

ing  apparel  as  had  been  prepared  largely  by  my  mother, 
some  of  these  garments  being  spun  and  woven  by  her  own 
hands;  together  with  such  other  articles  of  convenience  and 
comfort  as  loving  hearts  could  devise  and  anticipate.  As 
the  last  loving  kisses  were  being  given  and  good-byes  said, 
my  father  moved  off  to  the  wagon  that  stood  waiting  for 
me,  followed  the  team  along  to  the  gate,  that  he  might  be 
the  last,  as  it  would  seem,  to  press  the  hand  and  say  good- 
bye. That  last  warm  pressure  of  the  hand  and  the  tears 
that  trickled  down  the  furrowed  cheeks  are  as  'fresh  in  my 
memory  as  though  it  were  but  yesterday.  The  wagon  moved 
on,  and  a  few  last,  lingering  glances  left  the  old  home  out 
of  sight. 

I  was  not  on  my  way  to  a  railroad  station,  but  to  Cuyler- 
ville,  six  miles  away,  where  the  boats  on  the  Genesee  Valley 
canal  stopped  to  take  on  freight  and  passengers.  At  Roches- 
ter this  canal  intersected  the  Erie  canal.  At  Cuylerville  I 
was  met  by  Brother  John  and  my  cousins. 

This  was  our  first  ride  on  any  public  conveyance.  To 
have  gone  by  rail  would  have  been  possible,  but  for  the 
expense.  The  packet  boat  was  much  cheaper,  and  our  lim- 
ited means  made  it  necessary  to  economize  at  every  point. 
We  had  good  company,  for  the  packet  boats  were  patronized 
by  very  many  people  who  had  more  money  than  we,  and  who 
were  well  conditioned  in  life.  Everything  was  new  and 
interesting  to  us  boys ;  the  canal  with  its  locks,  the  boat  with 
its  crew,  the  villages  and  cities  through  which  we  passed. 
We  were  probably  about  twenty- four  hours  in  reaching 
Oneida,  a  small  village  near  Syracuse,  where  we  landed, 
and  took  stage  across  the  country  to  College  Hill. 

At  Oneida  we  were  met  by  a  very  nice,  polite,  and  oblig- 


EDWARD  AUSTIN  SHELDON  49 

ing  student  named  Willoughby.  So  obliging  was  he  that  he 
came  on  purpose  to  meet  us,  show  us  the  way  to  the  college, 
help  us  to  select  a  room  and  a  boarding-place,  and  to  intro- 
duce us  to  the  president  and  other  members  of  the  faculty, 
and  to  various  students  we  happened  to  meet,  especially  to 
those  who  belonged  to  a  particular  literary  society,  which  he 
very  kindly  advised  us  to  join,  for  very  good  reasons,  which 
he  made  plain  to  us.  Not  until  we  had  been  in  college  some 
time,  were  we  able  to  divine  the  possible  motive  that  led 
this  young  man  to  give  us  such  marked  attention,  valuable 
assistance,  and  good  advice.  We  joined  his  society,  of  course, 
and  to  him  this  was  doubtless  full  compensation  for  all  his 
trouble.  Both  parties  were  very  well  satisfied ;  he  had  a 
motive  that  was  gratified,  and  we  were  benefited  by  the 
result. 

We  were  located  in  "North  College,  South  Hall,  first  floor 
back  middle."  Off  the  main  room  was  a  bedroom  with  a 
double  bed;  our  rooms  were  taken  care  of  by  the  college 
janitor,  a  jolly  Irishman  by  the  name  of  "Terry."  His 
official  title  was  "Professor  of  Dust  and  Ashes."  His  duty 
was  to  make  the  beds,  sweep  the  rooms,  and  remove  the 
ashes.  He  was  inclined  to  be  funny,  was  always  good- 
natured,  and,  as  a  rule,  the  boys  were  a  match  for  him. 

Brother  John  was  strongly  inclined  to  stick  to  the  bed 
until  quite  late  in  the  morning,  so  one  bed  sometimes  went 
unmade  for  many  days  in  succession.  He  was  usually 
able  to  persuade  Terry  to  let  him  alone,  and  have  his  sleep 
out.  On  one  occasion,  however,  the  bed  had  got  into  so 
bad  a  condition  that  it  could  be  neglected  no  longer,  and  the 
"Professor"  gave  Brother  John  warning  that  the  next 
morning,  if  he  found  him  in  bed  when  he  came  around,  he 


50  AUTOBIOGRAPHY 

would  pull  him  out.  The  next  morning  he  found,  as  he 
supposed,  Brother  John  in  bed.  He  grabbed  for  him,  when 
behold,  he  found  in  his  hand  an  image,  instead  of  the  real 
person  he  had  thought  to  lay  hold  of.  At  the  same  moment 
Brother  John  sprang  out  from  behind  the  bedroom  door, 
where  he  lay  secreted,  caught  Terry  by  the  heels  and  threw 
him  into  the  bed.  Terry  took  it  in  good  part  as  a  smart 
joke,  but  gave  the  perpetrator  notice  that  he  must  not  play 
the  "likes"  on  him  again.  The  next  morning,  as  he  came 
around,  he  looked  cautiously  into  the  room,  and  having 
scanned  the  bed  and  'found  it  empty,  looked  suspiciously 
behind  the  door,  where  to  his  great  delight  he  discovered 
what  he  supposed  to  be  Brother  John  secreted  in  the  dark 
corner  behind  the  door.  The  bedrooms  had  no  windows, 
but  were  lighted  only  by  the  door  from  the  study-room. 
Here  again  he  mistook  the  image  for  the  reality,  and  tri- 
umphantly grabbed  it,  greatly  to  his  chagrin.  Having  been 
outwitted  by  Brother  John  on  these  two  occasions,  he  gave 
up  all  thought  of  playing  any  more  tricks  on  him,  and 
Brother  John  thereafter  had  his  morning  naps  to  his  heart's 
content.  When  the  bed  got  into  such  bad  condition  that 
one-half  of  it  oozed  but  at  the  foot,  he  would  give  Terry 
a  chance  to  make  it  up. 

In  one  way,  and  one  only,  as  I  remember,  John  and  I 
did  not  make  very  well-mated  chums.  He  retired  late  and 
rose  late  in  the  morning,  while  I  retired  regularly  at  nine 
o'clock  and  rose  invariably  at  four.  My  first  exercise  in 
tte  morning  was  to  take  a  shower  bath.  This  was  done 
with  no  regard  to  the  weather.  Many  a  time  have  I  broken 
the  ice  in  the  pail  that  held  the  water  for  the  bath,  with  my 
heel,  poured  the  contents  into  the  box  over  my  head,  and 


EDWARD  AUSTIN  SHELDON  51 

pulled  the  string  that  discharged  them  over  my  head  and 
body.    It  may  seem  like  heroic  treatment,  but  I  survived  it. 

During  the  winter  months,  I  often  spent  an  hour  sawing 
wood  out  of  doors,  for  which  the  college  paid  me  fifty  cents 
a  cord.  The  pay  was  small,  but  it  was  something  to  a  poor 
boy,  and  gave  me  healthful  exercise,  which  paid  better. 

We  lived  in  a  very  economical  way,  as  our  limited  means 
required.  We  boarded  at  Mrs.  Quinn's,  a  short  distance 
from  the  college,  where  we  paid  a  dollar  a  week  for  board. 
The  food  was  plain,  but  wholesome,  and  we  did  not  suffer. 
For  the  rent  of  the  room,  I  gave  my  notes  or  my  father's, 
I  really  forget  which.  These  notes  were  paid  long  after 
leaving  college.  As  a  rule,  we  purchased  second-hand  books, 
and  with  my  clothing  and  bedding  furnished  from  home,  I 
managed  to  get  on  in  a  very  inexpensive  way. 

I  had  not  been  in  college  long,  before  I  was  invited  to 
become  a  member  of  the  Alpha  Delta  Phi  Society.  This  I 
felt  to  be  a  great  compliment.  This  society  was  composed 
o'f  the  most  scholarly  and  best  elements  in  the  college,  and 
I  did  not  hesitate  to  accept  the  honor  proffered  me.  The 
plan  adopted  at  the  time  of  the  organization  of  the  society 
was,  not  to  select  members  during  the  first  two  years  in  col- 
lege, or  until  they  had  been  proven  and  known  by  the  society. 
As  there  were  rival  societies,  however,  they  sometimes  took 
men  earlier,  to  avoid  the  risk  of  losing  them  to  other  fra- 
ternities. Such  selections  were  sub  rosa,  and  the  persons  so 
selected  were  not  allowed  to  wear  the  pin  or  "swing  out," 
as  it  was  called,  until  the  Sophomore  year. 

Not  being  known  as  an  "Alpha  Delta  Phi,"  another  soci- 
ety courted  my  membership.  In  this  way,  being  often  seen 
in  the  society  of  some  of  the  leading  members,  a  doubt  was 


52  AUTOBIOGRAPHY 

pretty  effectively  thrown  over  the  minds  of  my  comrades, 
as  to  my  true  society  relations.  This  effort  to  cover  my 
true  relation  to  the  Greek  letter  societies  I  have  never  ceased 
to  regret.  Little  things  were  done,  more  or  less  deceptive  in 
their  character,  which  were  not  consistent  with  my  ideals 
of  manhood.  The  act  that  has  caused  me  more  regret  than 
any  other,  was  the  separation  from  my  chum,  my  dearest 
'friend  on  earth.  It  was  not  consistent  with  the  idea  of 
secrecy  that  I  should  room  with  one  who  was  not  a  mem- 
ber of  the  same  fraternity.  It  was  therefore  arranged  that 
I  should  leave  Brother  John  and  room  with  a  brother  of 
Professor  North,  who  was  an  Alpha  Delta  Phi.  To  this 
I  consented,  an  act  for  which  I  can  never  forgive  myself. 
Not  that  my  new  chum  was  in  any  way  disagreeable  or 
in  any  way  unworthy  of  my  companionship,  for,  on  the  con- 
trary, he  was  a  most  delightful  companion,  a  highly  respect- 
able and  worthy  young  man,  the  soul  of  integrity  and 
uprightness,  an  exemplary  Christian,  and  the  leader  of  his 
class  in  scholarship;  but  to  leave  an  old  friend  and  tried 
friend  for  a  new  one,  has  always  seemed  to  me  one  of 
the  most  dishonorable  acts  of  my  life,  one  which  never 
ceases  to  awaken  a  feeling  of  shame  and  reproach  every 
time  it  comes  into  my  mind. 

Other  acts  growing  out  of  this  effort  to  keep  up  the  idea 
in  college  that  the  Alpha  Delta  Phi  Society  did  not  choose 
its  members  before  Sophomore  year,  were  not  so  serious 
in  their  character,  but  at  the  same  time  were  questionable 
as  to  their  influence  on  me.  It  was  regarded  as  a  matter 
of  the  highest  importance  that  my  attendance  on  the  meet- 
ings of  the  society  should  not  be  known  ;  otherwise  the  repu- 
tation of  the  society  for  carefulness  in  the  selection  of  its 


EDWARD  AUSTIN  SHELDON  53 

members  might  receive  harm.  To  avoid  any  suspicion,  in- 
stead of  going  straight  to  the  place  of  meeting,  I  would 
start  in  a  different  direction,  and  by  wandering  round 
through  the  woods  and  cornfields,  come  to  the  place  of  meet- 
ing. This  was  a  sort  of  deception,  perhaps  harmless, 
because  no  one  other  than  myself  was  affected  by  it,  but 
such  methods  were  not  up  to  my  ideas  of  manhood. 

Nevertheless,  my  association  with  the  members  of  this 
'fraternity  was  of  great  value  to  me.  I  would  not  have 
lost  the  good  that  came  to  me  through  the  close  contact  with 
the  young  men  who  composed  this  society,  for  any  consid- 
eration. I  value  it  above  all  other  good  I  got  out  of  my 
college  life.  They  were  strong  men,  possessed  of  high 
ideals  and  noble  aspirations,  and  they  brought  into  my  life 
that  which  I  never  could  get  from  the  study  of  books. 
Among  them  were  men  who  have  taken  high  positions  in 
the  civil,  religious,  and  literary  world.  I  have  always  been 
proud  of  and  thankful  for  their  companionship. 

Early  in  my  college  course  I  discovered  something  about 
myself  that,  curiously  enough,  I  had  never  known  before. 
I  noticed  that  I  could  not  see  work  on  the  board  that  other 
members  of  my  class  seemed  to  see  readily.  This  led  me  to 
the  suspicion  that  I  was  near-sighted.  When  convinced 
that  this  was  true,  I  lost  no  time  in  bringing  to  my  aid  a 
pair  of  glasses.  It  was  in  the  early  spring  that  I  went  to 
Utica,  nine  miles  away,  and  provided  myself  with  these  helps 
to  see.  On  returning  to  College  Hill,  I  went  to  the  fourth 
story  of  one  of  the  college  buildings,  to  look  out  upon  the 
world  which  I  had  never  really  seen  before.  It  was  on  a 
bright  spring  morning,  just  after  a  refreshing  shower.  The 
trees  and  the  hills  were  delicately  green  with  the  new  life 


54  AUTOBIOGRAPHY 

of  the  season.  From  my  point  of  observation  I  commanded 
a  wide  stretch  of  landscape.  In  the  beautiful  valley  a  mile 
below,  lay  the  pretty  village  of  Clinton,  and  beyond,  stretch- 
ing away  to  the  distant  horizon,  lay  a  range  of  high  hills 
covered  with  the  fresh  verdure  of  spring.  As  I  looked  out 
on  this  grand  sweep  of  landscape,  I  felt  more  like  flying 
than  anything  else.  As  I  beheld  the  world  for  the  first  time 
in  the  beauty  of  springtime,  I  was  filled  with  an  ecstasy  of 
delight.  I  now  realized  as  never  before  what  a  glorious 
world  I  lived  in.  From  that  time  to  this  I  have  never  been 
without  my  glasses,  except  that  at  first  when  returning  to 
my  Perry  home,  I  would  doff  them  and  put  them  in  my 
pocket  to  avoid  possible  remarks  from  my  good  country 
friends. 

I  kept  them  in  their  hiding  place  at  all  times  when  likely 
to  be  observed,  until  I  left  the  bounds  of  Perry  neighbor- 
hood. This  was  doubtless  a  foolish  pride,  but  one  that  a 
timid  boy  is  very  likely  to  feel. 


CHAPTER  X 

COLLEGE    LIFE 

The  scholastic  work  in  college  was  almost  exclusively  of 
a  bookish  character  and  confined  very  largely  to  the  lan- 
guages and  mathematics.  Very  little  was  done  in  science, 
and  that  little  was  in  Chemistry.  It  was  pretty  generally 
thought  by  the  students  that  if  we  had  our  pictures  taken 
by  the  professor  of  this  department,  paying  for  the  same 
the  sum  of  three  dollars,  we  should  be  safe  from  rejection 
in  this  subject.  For  me  this  seemed  the  easiest  and  surest 
way  out,  and  I  had  my  picture  taken.  It  was  a  daguerreo- 
type, the  only  mode  of  taking  pictures  at  that  day,  and  it 
was  then  quite  new.  This  picture  is  well  preserved  to  this 
day.  How  much  this  transaction  had  to  do  with  my  pass- 
ing out  of  Chemistry,  no  one  will  ever  know,  but  of  one 
thing  I  am  certain,  I  got  "out"  of  the  subject  without  know- 
ing anything  about  it;  and  my  case  was  not  different  from 
that  of  most  students. 

Occasionally,  one  especially  interested  in  the  subject  would 
offer  his  services  to  the  professor  and  work  in  the  laboratory 
with  him,  and  so  get  something  out  of  it.  With  all  others 
it  was  of  no  service  whatever  to  them. 

In  the  languages  and  mathematics  we  had  good  teachers, 
and  thorough  work  was  done.  Work  in  the  languages  was 
confined  mostly  to  the  Latin  and  Greek.     Very  little  was 

55 


56  AUTOBIOGRAPHY 

done  in  German  and  French.  Under  Professor  Mandeville 
we  had  very  good  instruction  in  reading  and  elocution, 
although  taught  in  a  somewhat  perfunctory  manner.  The 
professor  dictated,  and  the  class  wrote  out  his  dictations. 
His  plan  of  work  was  original  and  philosophical.  His  anal- 
ysis of  the  English  sentence  and  his  method  of  punctuation 
was  founded  in  nature,  and  for  this  reason  has  never  been 
surpassed,  in  my  judgment.  It  is  unfortunate  that  it  has 
not  met  with  more  general  recognition  and  adoption.  It 
may  be  regarded  as  somewhat  stilted  and  complicated,  but 
if  the  spirit  of  freedom  were  thrown  into  it,  I  think  these 
objections  would  vanish. 

This  was  at  the  time  when  Professor  Mandeville  was 
bringing  out  his  series  of  school  readers.  He  was  just 
negotiating  with  the  Appletons  to  publish  the  series.  He 
was  invited  by  the  publishers  to  go  to  New  York  with  two 
or  three  of  his  students  to  meet  a  few  distinguished  gentle- 
men— divines,  lawyers,  and  other  educated  men — to  explain 
and  illustrate  his  method  of  teaching  reading  as  contained 
in  his  books.  Another  student  and  I  were  chosen  to  go 
with  him  on  this  mission.  This  was  a  grand  opportunity 
for  an  unsophisticated,  green  boy  to  travel  and  see  the 
greatest  city  on  our  continent.  To  us  boys  it  was  indeed 
a  great  occasion. 

It  was  in  the  month  of  June,  and  on  a  warm  day,  when 
we  landed  in  New  York.  I  had  never  before  been  in  a 
great  city,  and  very  naturally  was  extremely  interested  in 
everything,  all  being  so  new  to  me.  To  my  sorrow,  I 
was  tempted  into  tasting  the  great  varieties  of  fruits  and 
other  goodies  so  abundantly  displayed  in  the  shops  and  at 
the  street  stands.     As  a  natural  consequence,  I  was  con- 


EDWARD  AUSTIN  SHELDON  57 

fined  for  a  day  at  my  hotel,  to  recover  from  the  effects  of 
my  indulgence. 

After  the  first  day  I  was  domiciled  at  the  home  of  Mr. 
Appleton.  I  was  given  a  large,  elegantly  furnished  room, 
such  as  I  had  never  seen  before.  This  was  a  new  il'fe  to 
me,  and  withal  somewhat  bewildering.  I  did  not  know 
how  to  act  in  my  new  conditions.  So  long  as  I  was  left 
alone  in  my  room  I  could  get  along  very  well,  but  when  I 
came  to  the  beautifully  appointed  table  with  its  various 
courses,  its  (to  me)  many  new  dishes  and  methods  of  serv- 
ing, I  was  put  to  my  wit's  end  to  know  how  to  behave 
myself.  I  kept  my  eye  out  to  see  what  others  did,  and  then 
imitated  them  as  well  as  I  could. 

I  well  remember  my  first  experience  with  the  egg-cup. 
I  observed  that  all  put  their  eggs  into  the  cup,  broke  the 
upper  end  and  seasoned  and  ate  the  egg  from  its  broken 
end.  To  me  this  seemed  a  somewhat  difficult  and  delicate 
performance ;  but  as  all  did  it  with  so  much  ease  and  grace, 
I  resolved  to  risk  the  undertaking.  Greatly  to  my  delight 
and  satisfaction,  I  made  a  success  of  it  and  came  off,  some- 
what to  my  surprise,  without  any  mishap. 

This  was  my  first  appearance  in  elite  society,  and  it 
afforded  an  admirable  opportunity  to  learn  many  things.  I 
do  not  remember  about  the  finger-bowls.  I  think  it  must 
be  that  they  did  not  appear  on  this  occasion,  otherwise  I 
should  have  been  saved  a  mortifying  experience  on  a  sub- 
sequent occasion,  when  at  a  crowded  dinner  table  in  a  fine 
hotel  in  Philadelphia,  curious  to  know  what  the  appar- 
ently high-colored  liquid  was  that  was  placed  at  our  plates, 
and  supposing  it  must  be  some  delicious  beverage,  I  put  it 
to  my  lips  to  drink.    I  never  after  used  a  finger-bowl  with- 


58  AUTOBIOGRAPHY 

out  being  reminded  of  the  embarrassment  which  taught  me 
their  use. 

The  most  trying  hour,  however,  for  a  poor,  timid  country 
boy  was  yet  to  come — the  appearance  before  the  committee 
of  gentlemen  selected  by  the  publishers  to  test  our  ability 
to  read  and  to  explain  the  principles  of  good  reading  accord- 
ing to  Professor  Mandeville.  This  meeting  was  in  the 
grand  parlor  of  Mr.  Appleton's  home.  I  remember  more 
distinctly  than  anything  else  how  very  small  and  utterly 
insignificant  I  seemed  to  myself  in  the  presence  of  those 
august  gentlemen.  I  think  I  must  have  nearly  lost  my  head. 
I  only  remember  that  we  read  and  were  questioned,  and  I 
infer  that  we  did  our  part  to  their  entire  satisfaction,  inas- 
much as  the  Appletons  bought  the  copyright  of  the  Mande- 
ville readers,  paying  for  the  same,  as  I  was  told,  five  thou- 
sand dollars;  more  money,  I  am  inclined  to  believe,  than 
they  ever  realized  out  of  their  sale.  They  met  with  very 
sharp  competition  in  books  that  were  less  philosophical,  and 
so  more  easily  used  by  teachers  who  did  not  care  to  spend 
their  time  studying  up  new  theories  and  plans  of  work. 

Having  accomplished  the  object  of  our  mission,  we 
started  'for  home,  embarking  on  one  of  the  elegant  Hudson 
River  steamers.  It  was  a  bright,  starry  night,  with  a  mild, 
soft  air,  most  grateful  to  one  who  had  been  spending  the 
day  in  a  hot  city.  All  the  conditions  were  strongly  inviting 
to  sit  on  deck  and  enjoy  the  charming  scenery  of  the  Hud- 
son as  it  passed  before  us  in  panoramic  view.  The  full 
moon  shone  out  in  its  glory,  lighting  up  the  whole  land- 
scape, giving  it  that  soft,  bewitching  charm  that  the  moon- 
light only  can  bestow.  In  the  very  midst  of  all  this  there 
came  up  a  slight  shower,  and  for  the  first  and  last  time  in 


EDWARD  AUSTIN  SHELDON  59 

my  life  I  saw  a  beautiful  lunar  rainbow.  This  was  the 
crowning  display  of  all  the  new  and  interesting  sights  I 
had  seen  on  this  trip. 

There  is  something  about  the  atmosphere  of  college  life 
that  tends  to  put  the  spirit  of  mischief  into  the  ordinary  boy. 
One  is  likely  to  'feel  that  he  has  not  done  his  whole  duty  in 
college  until  he  has  played  some  trick.  I  was  not  wholly 
free  from  inspirations  to  this  kind  of  fun,  but  my  jokes 
were  very  few,  simple,  and  harmless.  Nobody  was  any  the 
worse  for  them.  Brother  John  was  much  more  ingenious 
and  successful  than  I. 

My  associates  were  not,  as  a  rule,  given  to  college  pranks. 
The  only  exception,  so  far  as  our  fraternity  was  concerned, 
as  I  remember,  was  little  Joe  Avery,  the  son  of  Professor 
Avery.  There  had  been  a  time-honored  custom  of  "ringing 
off  the  rust"  at  the  end  of  the  freshman  year — that  is,  ring- 
ing the  bell  until  the  rope  was  worn  out.  To  this  custom, 
the  faculty  decided  to  put  a  stop  with  our  class.  This  was 
regarded  as  bringing  on  our  class  everlasting  shame  and 
disgrace,  a  thing  that  mwst  not  be  allowed.  On  the  night 
when  this  finishing  work  of  the  class  was  to  be  performed, 
the  faculty,  having  taken  the  precaution  to  bar  all  the  ave- 
nues to  the  chapel,  arranged  themselves  in  full  force  about 
the  door,  to  prevent  any  possibility  of  breaking  in.  In  this 
crisis  of  affairs,  the  class  gathered  about  the  lightning  rod. 
while  Joe  scaled  it,  entered  the  belfry,  and  rang  the  bell  in 
the  face  of  the  faculty,  and  so  saved  the  honor  of  the  class. 

On  the  whole,  however,  during  my  stay  in  college,  the 
discipline  was  wholesome,  and  no  serious  disturbances 
occurred.  There  was,  as  a  matter  of  course,  some  hilarity, 
but  very  little  of  a  scandalous  nature. 


6o  AUTOBIOGRAPHY 

While  I  did  not  lead  my  class,  an  ambition  that  never 
took  possession  of  me,  I  succeeded  in  attaining  a  fairly  hon- 
orable position,  and  did  not  fail  to  secure  some  of  the  minor 
honors.  I  was  appointed  prize  speaker  and  was  placed  on 
the  Junior  Exhibition  list — honors  that  proved  my  greatest 
misfortune. 


CHAPTER  XI 

ABANDONMENT    OF    COLLEGE    COURSE 

Not  long  before  the  time  of  the  prize  contest,  during  my 
Sophomore  year,  while  on  a  visit  to  Uncle  Asa  Austin's 
aC  McGrawville,  I  had  an  attack  of  pleurisy,  brought  on  by 
inordinate  laughing.  Instead  of  returning  to  college,  as  was 
my  expectation,  I  was  obliged  to  hasten  home,  where  I  was 
confined  some  months  by  this  somewhat  serious  attack. 
When  I  had  so  far  recovered  as  to  be  able  to  return  to 
college,  being  still  weak  from  the  effects  of  the  attack,  I 
went  to  the  woods  to  practice  in  preparation  for  the  exhibi- 
tion. This  was  too  much  for  me  in  my  enfeebled  condi- 
tion, and  it  brought  on  a  mild  form  of  bronchitis.  How- 
ever, I  went  through  with  the  contest,  so  frightened  by  the 
vast  audience  before  me  that  I  could  not  tell  when  I  left 
the  stage  whether  I  had  said  my  piece  or  not.  I  disap- 
pointed both  myself  and  my  friends  in  that  I  failed  to  receive 
a  prize.  This  failure  of  my  voice  was  doomed  to  disap- 
point and  discourage  me  in  a  way  more  serious  than  the  loss 
of  the  prize.  It  eventuated  in  changing  the  plans  I  had  laid 
out  for  myself.  Although  I  went  on  with  my  work  in  col- 
lege, I  did  not  fully  recover  from  my  sickness  and  difficulty 
with  my  throat. 

It  was  at  this  time  that  I  became  acquainted  with  Dr. 
Noyes,  ex-professor  of  Chemistry.     He  had  a  fine  garden 

6i 


62  AUTOBIOGRAPHY 

and  a  small  farm,  and  was  much  interested  in  horticulture. 
He  had  also  a  small  private  laboratory  in  which  he  spent 
much  of  his  time.  These  interested  me,  and  particularly  the 
horticultural  pursuits.  Accordingly,  I  went  to  board  with 
him  'for  a  short  time.  He  gave  me  a  plot  of  ground  on 
which  to  plant  various  seeds  and  fruits,  and  I  practically 
started  a  little  nursery.  This  gave  me  out-of-door  occupa- 
tion at  my  leisure  hours,  in  the  hope  that  it  might  prove 
beneficial  to  my  health.  It  was  doubtless  helpful  in  keeping 
me  up,  but  my  health  was  far  from  being  permanently 
established. 

As  the  end  of  my  Junior  year  approached,  and  before  the 
time  of  the  Junior  contest,  to  which  I  had  the  honor"  of  an 
appointment,  I  decided,  at  the  advice  of  my  dear  friend  and 
teacher.  Dr.  Edward  North,  to  accept  the  invitation  extended 
me  through  the  intercession  of  Dr.  North,  to  spend  the  sum- 
mer of  1847  with  the  Downings,  the  far-famed  horticultur- 
ists of  Newburgh,  N.  Y.  Dr.  North  was  himself  highly 
interested  in  horticulture,  and  had  an  acquaintance  with  the 
Downings.  I  had  previously  read  their  "Landscape  Garden- 
ing," which  had  set  me  on  fire  with  its  artistic  and  poetic 
inspiration.  I  also  knew  something  of  their  "Fruit  and 
Fruit  Trees  of  America."  I  was  glad  of  this  opportunity 
to  gratify  my  taste  in  this  direction,  hoping  that  at  the 
same  time  my  health  might  be  permanently  benefited  by  it. 
The  opportunity  for  getting  a  practical  knowledge  of  horti- 
culture and  of  forming  acquaintance  with  these  men  proved 
a  very  happy  one.  I  became  familiar  with  all  lines  of  the 
nursery  business  by  going  out  and  working  with  the  man. 

Mr.  Charles  Downing  took  me  in  as  a  member  of  his 
family,  and  treated  me  with  the  greatest  kindness  and  con- 


EDWARD  AUSTIN  SHELDON  63 

sideration.  We  became,  in  fact,  intimate,  lifelong  friends. 
I  always  remember  him  with  the  greatest  respect  and  deep- 
est affection.  A.  J,  Downing  was  the  writer,  while  Charles 
was  the  practical  man.  '/The  Fruits  and  Fruit  Trees  of 
America"  was  the  product  of  the  practical  knowledge  of 
A.  J.,  and  after  the  sad  death  of  his  brother,  he  made  all 
the  revisions  of  the  book.  Charles  was  a  very  plain  man, 
but  full  of  good  heart  and  good  sense.  With  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Downing  I  stayed  on  through  the  entire  summer.  I  could 
not  have  had  a  more  delightful  home.  The  house  was  large 
and  roomy,  and  located  on  the  banks  of  the  Hudson,  in 
full  sight  of  the  Highlands. 

Early  in  the  fall,  Mr.  J.  W.  P.  Allen,  a  nurseryman  'from 
Oswego,  came  to  Newburgh  to  purchase  nursery  stock,  and 
he  besought  me  to  go  to  Oswego  and  take  an  interest  with 
him  in  the  nursery  business  which  he  had  already  estab- 
lished. To  this  proposition  I  felt  inclined  to  give  some 
attention,  and  my  friend,  Mr.  Downing,  seemed  to  encour- 
age me  in  it.  The  business  was  in  the  line  of  my  tastes,  my 
throat  difficulty  was  still  upon  me  and  seemed  effectually  to 
discourage  me  from  the  execution  of  the  plans  with  which 
I  set  out  on  entering  college.  The  outdoor  life  and  pleas- 
ant occupation  that  this  business  offered  seemed  favorable 
to  the  recovery  of  my  health.  Mr.  Allen  went  to  Perry 
to  consult  with  my  father  and  mother,  and  the  decision  was 
made  to  enter  into  partnership  with  Mr.  Allen  in  his  busi- 
ness, my  father  lending  me  five  hundred  dollars  towards 
the  venture.  Abandoning  my  college  and  law-school  plans, 
I  went  to  Oswego  in  the  fall  of  1847  to  enter  upon  my  new 
enterprise. 


64  AUTOBIOGRAPHY 

Edward  A.  Sheldon,  to  a  Friend. 

Perry  Centre,  Aug.  ii,  1847. 


It  is  my  nature  to  "hurry."     I  regret  that  it  is 

so,  but  what  is,  can't  be  helped.  I  have  always  been  told 
that  I  would  "hurry  myself  through  life  and  into  the  grave"  ; 
and  when  I  stop  to  reflect,  I  tremble  at  the  danger.  I  don't 
know  when  I  .  .  .  have  seen  the  moment  I  was  not  in  a 
hurry;  or  felt  a  restless  desire  to  be  doing,  or  do  faster. 
I  think,  however,  I  shall  be  able  to  overcome  this  in  some 
measure.  ...  I  have  written  to  Allen,  giving  him  some 
encouragement,  but  not  a  decided  answer.  Our  folks  all 
seem  to  favor  my  going,  though,  as  they  say,  they  don't 
know  much  about  it.  ...  I  think  I  have  weighed  the 
matter  well ;  as  well  as  I  could  had  I  years  to  decide  in ;  and 
I  have  about  come  to  the  conclusion  that,  taking  all  things 
into  consideration,  I  had  better  accept.  My  greatest  query 
has  been  whether  I  should  sacrifice  my  education  for  money ; 
and  it  is  now  with  a  great  deal  of  reluctance  that  I  can 
consent  to  give  it  up ;  but  if  I  go  on,  I  'fear  I  shall  be  able 
to  do  but  little  better  than  I  have  done  for  two  or  three 
terms  past. 

I  am  convinced  that  close  application  to  study  is  very 
injurious  to  me,  and  the  physicians  and  my  friends  tell  me 
I  must  not  persist  in  it.  I  have  thought,  too,  that  I  might 
devote  as  much  time  to  study  as  will  be  good  for  me,  and 
at  the  same  time  do  the  business  of  the  nursery ;  and  I  think 
perhaps  I  shall  be  able  to  make  arrangement  with  George 
to  take  my  place  during  the  winter  months,  so  that  I  can 
be  with  my  class. 

I  have  written  to  Prof.  North,  making  a  full  statement 
of  the  case  and  asking  his  advice  altogether  with  some 
questions  upon  points  of  law  and  partnership.  In  a  previ- 
ous letter  to  me,  speaking  of  Oswego,  Mr.  Allen's  nursery, 
etc.,  he  says,  "A  connection  with  him  (Mr.  A.)  would  be 
very  desirable.    The  location  is  undoubtedly  one  of  the  best 


EDWARD  AUSTIN  SHELDON  65 

in  the  State."  Cowles,  an  old  graduate  near  there,  has  writ- 
ten to  me  to  the  same  effect.  This  was  the  fore  part  of  the 
season,  when  I  first  thought  of  making  some  arrangement 
with  Mr.  Allen.  Pro'fes.sor  then  wrote  to  Allen,  and  I  expect 
said  something  for  me,  but  what  I  know  not ;  but  one  thing 
is  certain;  he  has  a  great  idea  of  a  certain  youngster  of 
our  acquaintance ;  I  fear  far  greater  than  he  will  realize. 
Since  I  wrote  you  last  I  have  received  a  letter  from  Mr. 
Fanning,  President  of  Nashville  College,  Tenn.,  in  answer 
to  a  letter  I  wrote  him  a  short  time  since  making  some 
inquiries  about  the  course  of  study,  system  of  education, 
country,  etc.  He  is  desirous  I  should  join  them,  and  render 
him  some  assistance  in  their  Horticultural  department.  They 
have  connected  with  the  college,  a  farm,  garden,  and  nurs- 
ery, workshops,  etc.,  and  each  student  devotes  three  or  four 
hours  a  day  to  some  employment,  to  the  avails  of  which  they 
are  entitled.  They  devote  a  good  deal  of  attention  to  Chemis- 
try, Mineralogy,  Geology,  and  Botany.  All  this  appears 
very  well,  but  there  is  room  enough  for  improvement  in 
our  Northern  system  of  education ;  and  I  long  to  see  it 
brought  about.  .  .  . 


CHAPTER  XII 

BEGINNING  LIFE  IN  OSWEGO:  1847  :  A  BUSINESS  VENTURE 

On  REACHING  Oswego,  I  became  a  boarder  in  Mr.  Allen's 
family,  who  then  resided  in  the  stone  house  on  the  corner 
of  East  Seventh  and  Mohawk  Streets.  We  erected  the  first 
public  greenhouse  in  Oswego  on  the  corner  of  East  Tenth 
and  Utica  Streets,  where  the  nursery  was  located. 

In  this  family  I  had  a  fairly  comfortable  home,  although 
Mr.  Allen  was  not  a  good  provider.  He  was  emphatically 
a  visionary  man.  He  did  not  live  in  an  everyday,  practical 
world.  He  did  not  see  things  as  ordinary  men  saw  them. 
This  characteristic  manifested  itself  in  all  his  business 
relations. 

During  my  first  winter  in  Oswego,  I  made  a  few  acquain- 
tances. Mrs.  Allen  had  a  niece  living  with  her,  a  Miss 
Tread  way,  the  daughter  of  an  Episcopal  clergyman,  a 
bright,  lively  young  woman.  She  had  a  match  in  her  friend, 
Miss  Elizabeth  Ludlow,  a  daughter  of  Judge  Ludlow.  They 
were  full  of  fun  and  frolic,  and  indulged  this  propensity 
very  freely.  My  acquaintance  with  the  Ludlow  family 
became  quite  intimate,  and  a  good  deal  of  freedom  of  inter- 
course existed  between  us,  as  the  following  incident  will 
illustrate : 

One  winter  evening,  Miss  Treadway  and  Elizabeth  Lud- 
low took  it  into  their  heads  to  play  a  trick  on  me.    I  doubt- 

66 


EDWARD  AUSTIN  SHELDON  67 

less  gave  them  the  impression  of  being  a  green  country 
boy,  not  accustomed  to  city  ways,  who  might  be  easily 
frightened.  They  dressed  themselves  up  in  very  grotesque 
garbs,  with  masks  on  their  faces,  and  thus  attired,  called 
me.  They  found  me  very  cool,  collected,  and  not  at  all 
disturbed,  and  I  entered  freely  into  conversation  with  them. 
Finding  that  I  was  not  in  the  least  disconcerted,  they  soon 
retired,  and  I  proposed  to  Mrs.  Allen  that  I  would  at  once 
return  the  call,  if  she  would  loan  me  an  old  suit  of  clothes, 
an  old  hat,  some  flour,  and  a  jug.  She  entered  into  my  plans 
heartily,  and  I  was  soon  on  my  way  to  the  Ludlows  in  the 
garb  of  an  old,  drunken  miller.  I  entered  the  side  gate, 
ascended  the  back  steps,  uttering  sounds  appropriate  to  the 
character  I  had  assumed.  As  good  luck  would  have  it,  the 
old  folks  were  all  away  'from  home,  and  the  occupants  at 
that  time  consisted  of  Judge  Ludlow's  children,  Anna, 
Helen,  Baldwin,  and  Elizabeth,  and  Miss  Treadway.  They 
were  all  young  people,  none  of  them  children,  and  not  likely 
to  be  harmed  by  a  little  fright.  Elizabeth  was  doubtless  the 
youngest  of  the  company,  and  she  was  a  young  lady.  Tak- 
ing me  for  a  drunken  tramp,  as  I  had  trusted  they  might, 
the  entire  crowd  fled  precipitately  upstairs,  leaving  me  in 
full  possession  of  the  parlors.  Soon  after,  the  windows 
upstairs  flew  open,  and  there  was  a  wild  cry  for  help.  Bald- 
win, the  only  boy  in  the  company,  proposed  to  announce 
that  they  had  a  gun,  and  would  shoot.  But  Anna,  the  oldest, 
with  her  characteristic  conscientiousness,  suggested  that  he 
should  not  say  that  he  had  a  gim,  as  this  would  be  telling  a 
lie,  but  that  he  should  talk  about  a  gun. 

Having  accomplished  my  object,   I  thought   it  best  to 
retire  before  succor  came.    Returning  to  my  boarding  place, 


68  AUTOBIOGRAPHY 

I  doffed  the  old  suit,  and  putting  on  my  usual  attire,  I  went 
over  to  the  Ludlows,  to  see  how  matters  were  ending.  Some 
passing  friend  had  come  in  at  their  call  for  help,  and  finding 
no  tramp,  pacified  their  fears  and  got  them  all  back  to  the 
parlors,  where  I  found  them  still  in  a  very  agitated  state 
of  mind,  discussing  the  intrusion  of  the  tramp  and  their 
fortunate  rescue  from  harm.  They  narrated  to  me  the  whole 
transaction  with  the  greatest  interest,  and  when  they  were 
all  through,  and  I  realized  that  I  had  gotten  out  of  it  all 
that  I  cared  for,  I  gave  them  the  true  interpretation  of  the 
affair.  The  girl  team  took  it  as  a  good  joke,  and  rather 
enjoyed  the  way  they  had  been  paid  off  for  their  call  on 
me,  but  Anna  was  inclined  to  take  it  more  seriously,  and  I 
thought  she  never  quite  forgave  me  for  the  fake.  She 
had  a  horror  of  deception  of  any  kind,  and  I  have  thought 
that  she  never  quite  trusted  me  after  that  as  she  did  before. 
For  me  this  was  about  the  only  fun  of  the  season.  My  time 
was  spent  quietly  at  home  and  in  attention  to  such  business 
as  my  new  occupation  demanded. 

In  the  spring,  some  change  of  household  plans  made  it 
necessary  for  me  to  find  a  new  boarding-place,  and  I  went 
to  the  Oswego  Hotel  to  board  and  to  room  with  my  new 
friend,  Cheney  Ames.  He  had  recently  lost  his  wife,  and 
he  took  me  to  his  own  room;  and  we  became  warm,  lifelong 
friends.  He  rose  to  a  position  of  wealth  and  influence,  and 
proved  himself  of  essential  service  to  me  in  my  future  work. 

It  very  soon  became  evident  to  me  that  I  had  embarked 
in  a  sinking  ship,  that  the  firm  was  practically  insolvent, 
and  that  the  best  thing  for  me  was  to  get  out  of  it  as  soon 
as  practicable.  The  little  money  I  had  invested  was  quickly 
absorbed,  and  I  could  not  hope  to  get  it  back  again.    Mr. 


EDWARD  AUSTIN  SHELDON  69 

Allen,  however,  offered  to  give  me  a  small  block  of  city  lots 
located  in  this  part  of  the  town,  in  lieu  of  my  interest  in 
the  company.  I  decided  to  accept  this  as  being  the  best 
thing  I  could  do  in  the  present  exigency.  It  was  a  fortu- 
nate escape  at  any  price,  and  I  came  out  in  the  end  without 
much  if  any  loss,  for  I  soon  sold  my  lots,  and  thus  by  slow 
installments  got  my  money  back. 

I  was  once  more  free,  and  without  any  plans  for  life.  I 
had  no  liking  for  idleness,  and  began  to  look  around  eagerly 
for  some  occupation.  I  sought  for  this  in  several  different 
directions. 

Extracts  from  Diary  of  E.  A.  Sheldon, 

East  Oswego,  1847. 

Sept.  8th. — This  day  is  an  important  period  of  my  life.  It 
is,  as  it  were,  the  first  starting-point  of  my  life;  at  least, 
the  birthday  of  my  manhood.  I  have  heretofore  never 
known  what  it  was  to  look  after  or  provide  for  myself,  and 
hence,  I  have  been,  as  it  were,  care-free.  To-day  I  have 
commenced  business  for  myself.  This  day  I  assume  the 
name  of  a  partner  in  a  firm,  and  its  consequent  cares  and 
responsibilities.  I  am  frank  to  confess  that  my  ambition 
now  is  to  gain  an  honorable  reputation.  I  am  resolved  that 
in  six  years  from  this  time,  if  my  life  and  health  are  spared, 
no  nursery  in  the  State  of  New  York  shall  surpass  this  of 
ours.  .  .   . 

Sept.  9th. — 1st,  Went  to  the  greenhouse  and  worked  at 
making  out  a  list  of  ornamental  trees,  shrubs,  and  plants 
until  noon.  After  dinner,  went  and  saw  Mr.  McCarter,  a 
mason,  about  completing  the  mason  work  of  the  green- 
house. 2nd,  Worked  at  the  catalogue.  3rd,  Went  over  the 
river  to  see  about  purchasing  a  horse.  After  supper  went 
again  to  see  McCarter  and  Kline.  Thus  ends  the  second 
day  of  my  new  life.    There  is  so  much  to  be  done,  it  really 


70  AUTOBIOGRAPHY 

makes  me  feel  wild.  But  Industry  and  Perseverance,  they 
say,  do  wonders. 

Sept.  loth. — Went  two  or  three  miles  to  see  a  horse ; 
returned  and  wrote  a  preface  for  a  catalogue.  After  din- 
ner went  down  to  the  greenhouse  and  laid  out  a  plan  for 
an  office.  Gave  a  note  of  $30.00  for  a  horse ;  harnessed  him 
and  went  with  Kline  to  cut  some  buds ;  and  then  went  to 
town  and  bought  a  harness.  After  supper  went  to  see  about 
purchasing  a  wagon  and  hiring  masons. 

Sept.  nth. — Went  to  the  greenhouse  and  back  and  pre- 
pared an  advertisement  for  the  "Horticulturist  and  Culti- 
vator." Went  with  a  man  from  Jefferson  Co.  and  showed 
him  over  the  nursery.  After  dinner  went  with  Allen  about 
five  miles  out  of  town  to  a  Mr.  Worden's,  a  cultivator  of 
fruit.  Such  a  load  of  fruit  I  never  saw.  One  little  Bart- 
lett  three  inches  and  a  half  in  diameter  bore  three  bushels 
of  the  finest  pears.  Many  of  his  apples  too  are  very  fine. 
I  begin  to  think  more  of  Oswego  than  ever.  If  as  a 
general  thing  the  fruit  trees  of  Oswego  can  be  made  to 
bear  such  abundance  of  fine  fruit  as  those  of  Worden,  every 
rood  of  land  ought  to  be  covered  with  them. 

Sept.  13th. — In  the  forenoon  budded  apricots  on  peach. 
This  afternoon  wrote  an  advertisement  and  two  or  three 
letters ;  helped  Allen  pack  fruit  for  taking  to  the  fair ;  and 
lastly  chased  the  packet*  some  four  miles.  I  do  firmly 
believe  that  man  was  born  an  hour  too  late,  for  he  seems 
always  trying  to  catch  up,  but  has  never  succeeded  as  yet. 

Sept.  14th. — Went  to  market  for  Mrs.  Allen,  then  to 
greenhouse,  repaired  stoneboat,  went  over  the  nursery  in 
search  of  the  best  opportunity  of  getting  stone.  Came  back 
and  went  down  town  to  the  harness  shop ;  and  returned  to 
Allen's  and  chopped  wood  till  noon.  After  dinner*  went 
down  to  greenhouse,  and  with  Kline  made  out  a  list  of 
fruits  for  catalogue.  Returned  and  chopped  wood  till  sup- 
per.   This  evening  chatted  and  played  backgammon. 


*The  fast  canal-boat. — Ed. 


EDWARD  AUSTIN  SHELDON  71 

Sept.  i6th. — Before  breakfast  went  to  market  and  sawed 
some  wood  for  Mrs.  Allen.  After  breakfast  went  to  the 
nursery  and  set  the  hands  at  work;  and  after  that  budded 
trees  all  day. 

Sept.  21  St. —  .  .  .  Met  at  the  table  with  some  young- 
sters, collegians.  Spent  the  evening  with  them.  They  enter- 
tained me  by  playing  whist  while  I  sat  moping  in  the  cor- 
ner. They  expressed  much  surprise  that  I  was  a  student 
and  could  not  play  whist. 

Nov.  1 2th. — This  forenoon  stole  somewhat  of  the  Paddy's 
trade  by  way  of  ditching.  .  .  .  This  evening  went  to  con- 
sult with  a  lawyer  about  the  nature  of  my  security  against 
Allen.  .  .  .  He  thinks  as  I  do,  that  things  look  rather  dark. 
.  .  .  Whether  wilfully  or  not,  I  cannot  tell,  but  the  man 
has  certainly  deceived  me  in  regard  to  the  real  value  of  the 
nursery  stock  and  the  income  of  the  establishment.  On 
the  strength  of  w'hat  he  said,  I  have  involved  myself  in 
debt,  from  which  I  fear  I  shall  not  be  able  to  extricate 
myself.    All  things  combine  to  give  me  the  blues. 

Dec.  3rd. —  ...  A  long  interval  has  elapsed  since  I  last 
opened  my  day-book.  (Entries  had  been  continued  pretty 
regularly  until  Nov.  19th. — Ed.)  Most  of  this  time  I 
have  been  absent  on  business  at  my  father's.  ...  A  large 
portion  of  the  time  when  here,  I  have  the  "blues"  roundly. 
I  find  a  heavy  debt  accumulated  on  my  shoulders.  "What 
shall  I  do?"  is  a  question  I  cannot  solve.  ...  I  see  my 
folly  in  attempting  to  do  so  heavy  a  business  without  some 
capital  to  start  upon.  ...  I  begin  to  think  I  must  work 
or  starve. 

Dec.  4th. —  ...  I  have  the  "blues"  so  that  I  can  accom- 
plish but  little  or  nothing.  I  am  almost  constantly  brooding, 
over  my  condition,  which  unfits  me  for  every  duty.  I  must 
make  an  effort  to  shake  it  off,  and  content  myself  with  doing 
the  best  circumstances  will  allow :  angels  could  do  no 
more.  .  .   . 


72  AUTOBIOGRAPHY 

Letter  to  His  Sister. 

New  York,  Apr.  i8,  1848. 
Dearest  Sister, — 

It  is  late  at  night,  and  the  watchmen's  clubs  are  sounding 
on  the  flagged  pavements  over  which  I  have  been  treading 
all  day,  yes  for  the  whole  week  past,  until  foot-sore  and 
disheartened,  I  turn  in  to  breathe  out  my  heart  feelings  into 
the  ear  of  those  whom  I  know  are  ever  ready  to  sympa- 
thize. I  have  just  closed  a  letter  to  Frances,  and  my  own 
loved  sister  and  family  must  come  next.  .   .   . 

But  you  are  anxious  to  know  what  brought  me  here,  and 
what  I  am  doing.  I  believe  you  have  my  history  to  Clin- 
ton. Since  then  it  is  short,  but  big  with  events.  While 
at  Clinton  I  received  a  letter  from  Prince,  an  extensive 
nurseryman  at  Flushing,  L.  I.,  eight  or  nine  miles  from  the 
city,  promising,  or  at  least  giving  me  the  strongest  kind  of 
encouragement,  that  he  would  give  me  a  situation  as  clerk  in 
his  nursery.  I  accordingly  came,  putting  implicit  confidence 
in  what  he  told  me.  ...  I  reached  Flushing  a  week  ago 
last  Friday.  Prince  was  away  from  home,  nor  did  he  return 
until  Saturday  afternoon,  when  he  gave  me  to  understand 
that  he  had  nothing  for  me  to  do.  .   .   . 

Oh!  how  can  I  describe,  or  how  can  you  understand  my 
feelings  at  this  time !  Nothing  but  despondency  and  black 
despair  seemed  to  hang  over  me.  On  Sabbath  morning  I 
lay  tossing  to  and  fro  with  fevered  head  and  brain,  with  not 
a  single  ray  of  light  or  hope  to  cheer  the  present  or  the 
future.  .  .  .  Oh !  wretched  man  that  I  was !  and  I  cried 
"Who  shall  deliver  me  from  the  body  o'f  this  death !"  Then 
a  thought  flashed  across  my  mind,  that  I  was,  and  had  been 
leaning  too  much  upon  an  arm  of  flesh.  I  arose,  fell  upon 
my  knees,  determined  to  leave  my  case  with  God.  I  wrestled 
long  and  hard ;  and  blessed  be  God,  he  enabled  me  to  prevail. 

I  was  now  as  happy  as  I  was  before  wretched.  I  look 
upon  that  day  as  one  of  the  most  propitious  periods  of  my 
life.  My  joy  indeed  unspeakable.  It  was  like  another 
regeneration.     I  believe,  indeed,  I  was  then  enabled   for 


EDWARD  AUSTIN  SHELDON  -jz 

the  first  time  fully  to  conquer  my  wicked,  headstrong  ambi- 
tion, and  completely  to  overcome  my  attachment  to  the  things 
of  time  and  sense ;  and  make  my  duty  to  God  second  to  noth- 
ing. I  knew  now  no  better  than  before  how  I  was  going  to 
extricate  myself  from  my  present  embarrassed  situation ; 
but  I  put  my  trust  in  God,  and  I  was  happy.  I  knew  he 
would  provide  a  way  for  me. 

The  particulars  of  how  I  got  away,  etc.,  I  will  tell  you 
when  I  have  more  time.  Suffice  it  to  say  I  got  back  to 
New  York.  And  here  for  a  full  week  I  have  been  chas- 
ing over  these  hard  pavements  in  search  of  employment, 
until  foot-sore  and  weary  I  am  almost  discouraged. 

.  .  .  If  I  do  not  find  a  situation,  I  don't  know  but  I 
had  better  find  my  way  home  if  my  labor  can  be  turned  to  a 
good  account  there.  How  would  it  be  ?  Could  enough  more 
work  be  laid  out,  by  way  of  planting  corn,  or  sowing  grain 
so  as  to  make  it  an  object  or  worth  while  for  me  to  join 
hands  with  you  this  summer?  ...  I  have  ordered  my  lots 
at  Oswego  to  be  sold  and  have  left  the  business  with  Mr. 
Talcott.  I  presume  I  can  stay  with  Mr.  Downing  this  sum- 
mer, and  unless  my  aid  can  be  turned  to  a  good  account  at 
home,  perhaps  I  had  better  do  so. 

I  tell  you  what  it  is,  sister  dear,  I  have  learned  some  inval- 
uable lessons,  though  at  rather  a  dear  price.  I  know  you 
have  been  very  anxious  to  hear  from  me,  but  I  have  been 
in  so  unsettled  a  state,  that  I  feared  it  would  give  you  but 
little  satisfaction ;  and  I  hoped  each  morning  that  the  night 
might  give  things  a  more  decided  character ;  but  each  night 
has  left  me  where  the  morning  found  me,  and  I  felt  that  I 
must  delay  no  longer.  A  few  days  ago  I  sat  down  and 
filled  half  a  sheet  for  you,  but  everything  was  so  indefinite 
I  committed  it  to  the  flames.  Remember  me  in  most  ten- 
der aflfcction  to  the  family  and  take  a  great  deal  of  love  to 
yourself  from 

Your  constant  and  devoted  brother, 

Edward. 


CHAPTER  XIII 

THE   RAGGED   SCHOOL:    1848-1849 

During  this  period  of  suspense,  it  came  into  my  mind 
to  investigate  the  condition  of  the  ixx)rer  classes  in  the  city 
of  Oswego.  I  accordingly  invested  five  cents  in  a  small 
blank  book  that  I  could  carry  in  my  pocket,  decided  upon 
the  statistics  I  could  gather,  and  began  my  rounds  among 
the  poorer  tenements  in  the  outskirts  of  the  city.  Among 
the  items  that  interested  me  particularly  was  the  educational 
status  of  the  poor.  Greatly  to  my  surprise,  I  found  fifteen 
hundred  persons  who  could  neither  read  nor  write.  As  a 
country  boy  I  had  hardly  known  of  such  a  person,  and  my 
astonishment  may  be  well  understood  on  finding  such  a 
degree  of  gross  ignorance.  To  me  it  seemed  like  being  in 
the  midst  of  heathendom. 

Being  deeply  impressed  by  this  state  of  things,  I  com- 
municated the  facts  I  had  ascertained  to  my  friend,  Mr. 
Ames  and  to  another  good  friend,  Douglass  Smith,  a  fellow- 
boarder,  and  suggested  that  something  be  done  for  the  edu- 
cation and  care  of  these  poor  classes.  They  were  in  full 
sympathy  with  me,  and  we  resolved  at  once  to  commimicate 
the  information  I  had  gained  to  others  and  enlist  their 
co-operation.  This  resulted  in  the  call  for  a  meeting  of  a 
few  prominent,  benevolent,  active  citizens  to  consider  plans 
of  operation.    The  first  meeting  was  held  Tuesday,  Octo- 

74 


EDWARD  AUSTIN  SHELDON  75 

ber  31,  1848.    The  result  was  the  organization,  on  Novem- 
ber 28,  of  the  "Orphan  and  Free  School  Association." 

Extracts  from  a  Letter  to  His  Sister. 

Oswego,  Nov.  23,  1848. 

A  few  Sabbaths  after  I  came  here,  I  visited  a  mission 
Sabbath  school  recently  started  here.  I  was  surprised  to  find 
a  large  number  of  them,  children  eight  and  ten  years  old, 
who  could  not  read  their  A,  B,  C!  As  I  passed  through  the 
streets  that  day  and  saw  great  numbers  of  ragged,  pro- 
fane children  romping  the  streets,  having  no  idea  of  the 
sacredness  of  the  day.  my  heart  was  pained  within  me,  and 
I  went  to  my  room  reflecting  what  might  be  done  for  these 
poor  children.  I  told  my  chum,  if  I  had  the  means,  I  should 
not  hesitate  what  to  do.  I  would  open  a  school  into  which 
I  would  gather  these  children  and  teach  them  free.  He  said 
he  thought  the  means  might  be  raised.  We  then  formed  a 
resolution  to  make  an  effort ;  laid  a  little  plan ;  made  some 
estimates,  got  upon  our  knees  and  implored  the  blessing  of 
God  to  give  it  success. 

We  first  introduced  the  subject  in  a  public  manner  at 
a  prayer  meeting;  there  appointed  committees  to  make  fur- 
ther investigation.  Since  then  we  have  had  two  or  three 
meetings  of  the  citizens  generally.  Christians  are  praying 
for  it  in  private  and  public ;  our  ministers  are  all  urging 
it  from  the  pulpit ;  several  discourses  have  been  based 
entirely  on  this  subject.  For  the  week  past  we  have  been 
circulating  subscription  lists ;  have  got  six  hundred  dollars 
subscribed,  and  shall  probably  get  three  hundred  or  four 
hundred  more.  Next  Tuesday  night  we  meet  to  organize. 
We  hope  to  be  able  to  accommodate  one  hundred  or  one  hun- 
dred and  fifty  scholars. 

Clothing  will  have  to  be  furnished  these  children  more 
or  less,  as  well  as  books.  An  effort  will  be  made  to  get  as 
many  as  possible  into  good  families.  They  are  to  be  taught 
moral  as  well  as  mental  precepts.    Benevolence  must  search 


76  AUTOBIOGRAPHY 

them  out,  visit  the  famiUes  from  time  to  time,  extend  to 
them  the  hand  of  sympathy  and  affection,  and  teach  them 
that  they  may  become  worthy  citizens  as  well  as  others. 
There  are  hundreds  of  children  in  this  city  as  ignorant  and 
depraved  as  the  children  of  India  or  China.  Two  or  three 
missionaries  might  be  constantly  employed  with  profit  here. 

I  have  really  been  led  into  this  unpremeditatedly  and 
unintentionally.  I  felt  that  something  ought  to  be  done 
here;  and  I  knew  it  would  not  be  done  until  some  one 
should  offer  himself  a  sacrifice  to  the  work  and  lead  it  on. 
Thus  far  I  have  succeeded  better  than  I  anticipated.  Next 
Tuesday  night  we  meet  to  organize.  Something  may  come 
up  to  frustrate  the  whole  plan,  but  at  present  it  promises 
very  well.  The  greatest  difficulty  I  find  is  to  get  gentle- 
men or  ladies  to  help  me  do  the  labor.  That  is  all  new  busi- 
ness to  them ;  they  want  a  good  deal  of  training ;  and  they 
will  get  it  if  I  have  to  do  with  them  long.  It  is  no  dishonor 
to  beg  in  a  good  cause. 

When  this  plan  first  suggested  itself  to  me,  I  thought  it 
was  a  new  thing  under  the  sun ;  but  I  have  since  learned 
that  nearly  the  same  thing  was  introduced  into  London  a 
few  years  since ;  and  that  now  some  of  their  schools  number 
over  a  thousand ;  and  it  has  gained  popularity  all  over  the 
continent ;  so  that  government  has  recently  made  an  appro- 
priation to  them.  Boston  has  also  adopted  something  the 
same  plan.  They  find  it  to  be  the  only  way  to  reach  this 
class.  At  the  same  time  these  children  are  sought  out  for 
school,  all  orphan  children  of  a  tender  age  are  to  be  picked 
up  and  provided  for,  thus  paving  the  way  as  we  trust  for 
an  Orphan  Asylum. 

I  sometimes  tremble  at  the  responsibility  I  am  taking 
upon  myself,  for  it  is  all  new,  entirely  new  business  'for  me. 
I  put  my  trust  in  God,  who  alone  can  give  me  wisdom  to 
direct  and  strength  to  perform.  It  has  opened  a  pretty  effec- 
tual way  for  me  to  become  acquainted  with  the  people  of 
Oswego,  for  old  and  young,  high  and  low,  rich  and  poor, 


EDWARD  AUSTIN  SHELDON  -jj 

have  pretty  well  learned  by  this  time  who  is  the  poor  boy's 
friend.  I  wish  I  could  take  you  with  me  a  little  while  in 
my  visitations  among  the  poor,  I  could  show  you  what  you 
have  only  dreamed  of  before. 

The  first  article  of  the  constitution  indicates  the  objects 
of  the  association. — Article  i.  "The  object  of  this  associa- 
tion shall  be  the  intellectual  and  moral  education  and 
improvement  of  such  poor  and  orphan  children  in  this  city 
as  are  not  otherwise  provided  for  in  these  respects." 

The  movement  enlisted  the  interest  of  all  the  churches, 
the  clergymen,  and  the  leading  philanthropic  gentlemen  of 
•  the  city,  who  gave  the  movement  their  hearty  support.  Funds 
were  collected,  sewing  societies  organized  'for  the  prepara- 
tion of  clothing,  second-hand  garments  of  all  kinds  were 
solicited,  rooms  were  rented  for  the  school,  schoolbooks  pur- 
chased, and  all  necessary  provisions  made. 

The  next  thing  in  order  was  the  employment  of  a  teacher. 
I  urged  upon  the  committee  the  importance  of  taking  this 
step  at  once.  "Why,"  said  Mrs.  Fisher,  one  of  the  most 
influential,  active  persons  on  the  committee,  "I  thought  you 
were  to  be  the  teacher."  "Oh,  no,"  I  said,  "I  cannot  teach 
the  school ;  I  never  had  any  such  idea.  I  never  taught 
school  in  my  life  and  do  not  know  how  to  teach  and,  more 
than  all,  I  have  already  made  other  arrangements." 

During  the  time  that  these  movements  were  going  on,  I 
had  arranged  with  the  President  of  xA.uburn  Theological 
Seminary  to  enter  that  institution  as  a  student.  My  out- 
door life  and  activities,  together  with  such  medical  aid  as 
I  had  been  able  to  secure,  had  so  restored  my  health  that 
I  felt  justified  in  taking  this  step. 

Mrs.  Fisher  replied,  "If  you  are  not  going  to  teach  this 
school,  I  will  have  nothing  more  to  do  with  it."  "Very  well," 
I  replied,  "in  that  case  I  must  teach  the  school." 

Judge  Churchill,  the  secretary  of  the  association,  said, 
"What  salary  shall  we  pay  you?"  I  answered  after  a 
moment's  reflection,  "It  will  cost  me  about  $275.00  to  live 


78  AUTOBIOGRAPHY 

and  that  is  all  I  ask."    Judge  Churchill  answered,  "We  will 
make  it  an  even  amount  and  call  it  $300.00." 

Thus  it  was  settled  that  I  was  to  take  charge  of  the  new 
"ragged  school,"  as  it  was  dubbed.  Nothing  could  ever 
have  been  farther  from  my  thoughts  than  the  idea  of  teach- 
ing school ;  nothing  for  which  I  considered  myself  so  poorly 
adapted.  But  the  duty  seemed  to  lie  before  me,  and  however 
much  I  might  shrink  from  it,  there  seemed  to  me  no  alterna- 
tive. The  enterprise  must  not  fall  through  at  this  stage  for 
want  of  a  teacher,  and  as  that  duty  now  seemed  to  fall  to 
my  lot  if  we  had  a  school  at  all,  I  would  do  the  best  I  could. 
This  seemed  to  me  the  strangest  of  all  the  fortunes  of  mine. 
This  was  not  a  plan  of  my  own  making,  but  something 
given  me  to  do.  I  resolved  to  make  the  best  of  it  and  go 
ahead. 

Extracts  from  a  Letter  to  His  Sister. 

We  shall  probably  have  some  thirty  or  forty  orphans  to 
take  care  of  and  I  think  we  shall  open  an  Orphan  Asylum 
at  once,  though  on  a  small,  economical  scale  at  first,  of 
course.  .   .   . 

This  is  the  hardest  community  to  work  upon  I  ever  saw 
or  heard  of.  I  have  had  to  tug  and  toil  through  thick  and 
thin,  and  almost  drive  them  on  to  the  work  in  order  to  get 
anything  done ;  and  yet  everyone  seems  to  be  surprised  at 
the  success  which  has  attended  that  effort.  If  this  does  ulti- 
mately succeed,  it  is  the  first  benevolent  eflFort  of  any  kind, 
I  understand,  that  ever  has  succeeded  here.  The  great  game 
here  is  to  make  money.  .    .    . 

Thus  I  found  myself  in  the  autumn  of  1848  with  one 
hundred  twenty  to  one  hundred  thirty  wild  Irish  and  French 
boys  and  girls,  in  the  basement  of  what  was  called  the 
"Tabernacle,"  a  building  that  stood  on  West  Second  Street, 
near  Bridge  Street,  on  the  site  of  the  present  engine  house. 


EDWARD  AUSTIN  SHELDON  79 

Many  of  these  children  had  never  been  inside  a  schoolroom, 
and  knew  no  better  how  to  behave  as  pupils  than  I  did  as 
teacher.  This  was  a  strange  school,  with  a  no  less  strange 
teacher.    None  such  had  ever  been  assembled  in  Oswego. 

It  was  a  curiosity,  and  as  such  was  visited  by  teachers 
and  others.  Mr.  I.  B'.  Poucher,  a  graduate  of  the  Normal 
School  at  Albany,  who  at  the  time  had  charge  of  a  public 
school  in  the  old  Academy  building,  located  on  the  site  of 
the  present  High  School,  and  who  later  became  associated 
with  me  in  my  educational  work,  and  so  continues  up  to 
this  date  (December,  1896),  relates  some  amusing  stories  of 
my  methods  as  he  saw  them.  One  thing  is  surely  true:  if 
any  principles  of  pedagogy  were  applied  in  this  school,  they 
were  either  intuitive  or  accidental.  I  had  never  read  any 
theories  of  school  teaching,  and  certainly  had  none  of  my 
own  at  the  outset;  at  least,  all  my  work  was  haphazard. 
About  all  I  knew  was  that  these  children  were  poor,  neg- 
lected, and  ignorant,  and  needed  sympathy  and  help ;  and 
these  I  certainly  could  give  them.  Of  this  I  am  also  sure, 
I  got  their  confidence  and  love.  It  was  a  usual  sight  on 
my  way  to  school  to  have  a  large  number  of  these  poor 
children  hanging  on  to  the  ends  of  my  fingers  and  coat-tails, 
greatly  to  the  amusement  of  the  lookers-on. 

The  order  of  the  school  was  doubtless  not  up  to  the  pro- 
fessional standard.  It  was  not  unusual  to  see  two  boys  stand 
up  for  a  fight  in  the  presence  of  the  school.  But  allowances 
are  to  be  made  for  the  character  of  the  pupils,  the  inexpe- 
rience of  the  teacher,  and  the  larger  number  children  in 
attendance.  There  were  children  enough  present  to  require 
the  services  of  three  or  four  teachers. 

I  spent  Saturdays  in  visiting  parents  at  their  homes,  look- 


8o  AUTOBIOGRAPHY 

ing  after  their  necessities,  and  supplying  them  as  far  as  pos- 
sible. These  Saturday  visits  were  often  the  most  tiresome 
work  of  the  week.  I  used  to  return  home  from  them  com- 
pletely exhausted,  such  was  the  draft  upon  my  sympathies 
in  view  of  the  squalid  poverty  and  wretchedness  I  found  in 
the  homes  of  the  helpless  poor.  Some  things  I  could  do 
for  them,  but  there  was  much  that  I  could  not  do.  Some 
temporary  relief  could  be  given,  but  to  lift  them  out  of  the 
low  lives  to  which  they  had  fallen  seemed  hopeless.  The 
hardest  experience  that  ever  comes  to  us  is  to  see  wretched- 
ness that  cannot  be  alleviated. 

The  school  and  its  attendant  work  went  on  prosperously. 
The  Sunday  School,  the  outside  charitable  work,  the  visita- 
tion from  house  to  house,  went  on  hand  in  hand  with  the 
day-school.  Meanwhile,  the  winter  of  1848-9  came  and 
went. 

Extracts  from  the  Diary  of  E.  A.  S. 

Oswego,  Jan.,  1849. 

Jan.  30. — Opened  the  Orphan  and  Free  School  the  14th 
day  of  January,  1849,  with  70  scholars.  Have  now  on  my 
list  over  140.  Had  in  regular  daily  attendance  120.  Have 
this  week  in  regular  attendance  but  90,  and  five  or  six  of 
those  are  new  ones. 

Jan.  31. — Had  ninety  scholars.  Two  have  returned,  who 
had  left.  One  little  girl  froze  her  cheeks.  Two  of  the  boys 
came  today  two  miles,  come  to  get  warm;  they  cried  piti- 
ously  with  the  cold.  They  have  for  pants  but  poor,  ragged, 
and  very  light  and  thin  cloth.  For  a  coat  one  has  but  tick- 
ing; and  neither  of  them  have  vests.  .  .  .  Have  not  had 
to  punish  a  child  today.  They  begin  to  show  signs  of 
improvement. 

Feb.  I. — A  windy  uncomfortable  morning.    But  few  chil- 


EDWARD  AUSTIN  SHELDON  8i 

dren  out  to  school.  Dr.  Baird  called  on  me  this  morning, 
together  with  Dr.  Condit.  .  .  .  Tonight  in  his  lecture  on 
England,  while  speaking  of  the  "Ragged  Schools"  of  Lon- 
don, referred  to  this  school  in  the  highest  terms.  .  .  . 
Found  tonight  by  the  wayside,  a  very  ragged-looking  boy ; 
stopped  and  called  him  to  me ;  inquired  into  his  history,  and 
he  took  me  to  his  home;  found  in  a  small  room  of  an  old 
dilapidated  building  some  seven  or  eight  grown  persons 
huddled  around  a  stove,  two  beds,  or  rather  frames  on 
which  the  merest  apology  for  straw  beds  were  thrown ;  the 
room  was  literally  stowed  full.  .  .  .  The  father  had  just 
come  over,  expended  all  he  had  in  coming  over,  and  had 
not  been  able  to  find  work  since  he  arrived  in  America. 
Was  anxioiis  to  have  his  boy  go  to  school ;  would  like  to 
work  to  pay  for  some  clothes. 

Feb.  2. — Had  between  eighty  and  ninety  scholars.  They 
seem  to  grow  more  and  more  eager  to  learn.  .  .  .  Supplied 
a  little  boy  by  the  name  of  Patrick  Burke  with  shoes.  Has 
been  to  school  nearly  a  fortnight,  next  thing  to  barefoot ;  his 
clothes  are  also  very  poor.  His  mother  has  run  away.  His 
father  is  a  poor  miserable  drunken  stick,  without  money  or 
a  home.  They  go  from  one  poor  shanty  to  another,  living 
on  the  charities  of  these  poor  people.  He  is  a  smart  active 
boy,  and  needs  a  home  very  much.  I  hope  to  be  able  to 
procure  one  for  him.  .   .    . 

Feb.  3. —  .  .  .  Joseph  Perkins  left  school  for  want  of 
pants  and  coat.  He  has  two  sisters  .  .  .  want  dresses,  petti- 
coats, shawls,  and  shoes.  .  .  .  Called  at  Mr.  Blayes  where 
I  found  three  girls  .  .  .  who  had  left  school  for  want  of 
shoes.  The  girls  are  very  interesting  children.  The  mother 
said  the  children  were  so  eager  to  attend  school,  that  she 
made  for  them  some  cloth  shoes  which  they  wore  to  school 
until  they  were  entirely  worn  out  and  they  'froze  their  feet ; 
and  then  they  were  obliged  to  stay  at  home ;  and  then  the 
children  cried  to  go  even  barefooted. 

Feb.  7. — Today  have  commenced  a  little  on  the  Lancas- 


82  AUTOBIOGRAPHY 

trian  plan ;  made  my  scholars  assistants.  I  put  them  the 
question  whether  they  would  become  my  assistants  or 
whether  I  should  hire  an  assistant ;  they  decided  to  assist  me. 
I  proposed  to  them  to  have  several  grades  of  scholarship, 
and  the  one  who  should  make  the  best  recitations  should 
hear  the  most  advanced  class ;  and  the  next  the  second,  etc., 
etc.,  I  have  my  fears  about  the  working  of  the  thing;  but 
it  is  impossible  for  me  to  do  all  the  work.  Tonight  I  was 
so  tired  I  could  hardly  stand  up  or  speak  a  loud  word.  .  .  . 
Feb.  8. — Had  ninety  scholars  ;  seemed  more  unmanageable 
than  ever ;  find  it  is  wearing  upon  my  health.  .    .    , 

Feb.  9. — A  very  tedious  stormy  day ;  had  notwithstanding 
seventy  or  eighty  scholars ;  presume  they  found  it  more 
comfortable  than  at  home.  Two  market  baskets  full  of  frag- 
ments left  of  a  donation  visit  were  sent  in,  which  I  distribu- 
ted among  the  children ;  they  seemed  elated  with  it. 

Feb.  10. —  .  .  .  Called  on  a  poor  widow  by  the  name  of 
McGuire.  Here  I  found  poverty  in  its  most  lank  forms. 
The  widow  was  but  poorly  clad  hovering  over  a  cold  stove, 
industriously  plying  her  needle.  There  were  other  families 
in  the  same  tenement,  but  how  many  I  know  not.  Their 
shanty  was  but  little  protection  to  them  from  the  inclement 
season.  There  was  not  fire  enough  to  make  the  least  impres- 
sion on  the  snow  which  had  drifted  in  the  night  before; 
some  of  which  they  had  used  to  bank  up  around  the  inside 
of  the  room.  This  widow  has  a  boy  and  girl  who  have 
been  at  my  school ;  bright  intelligent  children.  The  boy 
had  on  one  boot  and  one  shoe;  but  the  shoe  was  but  little 
better  than  none  at  all.  The  girl  came  to  my  school  a  day 
or  two,  until  she  took  cold  for  want  of  protection  from  the 
cold  and  was  obliged  to  stop.  She  had  now  nearly  recov- 
ered, and  was  about  the  room  with  nothing  in  the  world 
on  her  feet  and  hardly  enough  clothing  to  cover  her  naked- 
ness. The  boy  has  been  for  a  day  or  two  to  the  Catholic 
school.  I  asked  her  whether  they  would  not  clothe  her 
children  at  the  Catholic  school ;  and  if  so,  I  advised  her  to 


EDWARD  AUSTIN  SHELDON  83 

send  them  to  it.  She  said  she  would,  and  if  they  did  not 
clothe  them,  she  should  send  them  to  my  school.   .    .    . 

Afternoon. — Saw  a  little  boy  running  along  the  street 
without  coat  and  barefoot  with  a  jug  under  his  arm.  I 
immediately  followed  him;  he  entered  a  grog-shop  into 
which  I  followed  him.  The  keeper  filled  his  jug  with 
whiskey :  remarking  at  the  same  time  something  about  the 
little  fellow's  being  barefooted.  I  uttered  an  expression  of 
surprise  as  though  I  had  not  seen  the  boy  before.  The 
grog-keeper  all  at  once  expressed  a  great  deal  of  sympathy 
for  the  boy,  and  says,  "How  great  a  charity  it  would  be 
for  some  one  to  put  some  clothes  on  his  back  and  shoes  on 
his  feet!"  I  thought,  "How  much  better  it  would  be  for 
you  not  to  sell  this  boy  liquor,  and  thus  save  the  money 
for  him  to  buy  shoes!"  .    .    . 

Feb.  23. — A  very  beautiful  day.  Had  a  large  school.  .  .  . 
The  school  has  been  unusually  noisy  today,  seemed  hard  to 
keep  them  still.  Tonight  called  at  Mr.  Hensey's ;  seemed 
very  much  elated  to  see  me.  The  little  children  saw  me 
coming,  and  cried,  "There  comes  the  school  master !"  Mrs. 
H.  came  out  to  meet  me  and  heartily  seized  and  shook  my 
hand.  They  urged  me  hard  to  take  some  tea  and  Johnny- 
cake;  but  I  begged  as  hard  to  be  excused.  They  are  very 
poor  and  destitute.  The  father  is  partially  deranged  and 
the  mother  has  the  whole  family  of  five  or  six  to  provide 
for.     She  is  a  very  kind-hearted  woman.    .    .    . 

Feb.  28. — One  hundred  scholars.  Am  completely 
exhausted.   .    .    . 

Mar.  19. — School  continues  small  during  these  pleasant 
days.  Find  it  much  more  difficult  to  keep  them  still  in  such 
weather  than  when  less  inviting.   .    .    . 

Mar.  20. — This  morning  had  some  trouble  in  school.  A 
great  lawless  boy,  nearly  as  large  as  myself,  who  has  always 
caused  me  a  great  deal  of  trouble,  after  disobeying  me  and 
laughing  me  in  the  face,  I  struck  him  over  the  head  with  the 
rattan.    Upon  this  he  rose  and  showed  fight ;  I  plied  the  rod 


84  AUTOBIOGRAPHY 

the  closer,  and  soon  subdued  him,  and  he  cried  like  a  baby. 
At  noon,  however,  in  the  street,  he  was  very  saucy.  Tonight 
went  and  saw  his  mother;  found  her  a  widow  with  a  large 
family;  and  a  poor  man  with  his  boy  living  upon  her — 
for  which  she  received  no  compensation.  Went  to  see  the 
poor-master  to  see  if  something  could  not  be  done  to  pay 
her  for  keeping  the  poor  man,  but  without  success.  For  the 
boy  I  hope  to  be  able  to  get  a  place.  The  poor  widow,  to 
show  her  gratitude  to  me  for  the  interest  I  took  in  her, 
fitted  me  out  with  an  umbrella,  and  asked  me  to  take  some 
punch  or  wine ;  upon  which  I  gave  her  a  short  temperance 
lecture. 

Mar.  27. — Had  no  help  today.  Found  a  good  deal  to 
try  my  patience  in  school.  Did  not  get  through  until  six 
o'clock.    Has  been  a  cold  raw  day. 

March  28. — Had  a  very  pleasant  school.  This  afternoon 
some  general  e^^ercises  and  the  girls  sewed.  Mrs.  and 
Miss  Fisher  were  in  to  assist  in  sewing.  One  unpleasant 
transaction  was  the  only  thing  to  mar  the  day.  A  surly 
boy  had  to  be  severely  whipped ;  never  whipped  so  hard  in 
my  life.    I  finally  succeeded  in  subduing  him. 


CHAPTER  XIV 
marriage:  1849 

In  the  spring  of  1849,  on  the  i6th  of  May,  occurred  the 
most  important  event  of  my  life — that  which  had  more  to 
do  with  my  success,  my  usefulness  and  happiness,  than  all 
other  events  combined.  It  was  on  this  day  that  I  added 
to  my  life  that  of  Frances  A.  B.  Stiles.  Those  who  knew  my 
circumstances,  and  who  estimated  my  action  from  a  material 
standpoint,  doubtless  considered  that  I  was  tempting  Provi- 
dence, and  condemned  it  as  foolish  and  unwise.  It  was, 
however,  the  wisest  and  most  provident  act  of  my  whole  life. 
This  partner  of  my  life  did  more  to  mold  my  character 
and  make  me  what  I  have  been  and  am,  than  all  the  other 
circumstances  of  my  life.  She  proved  to  be  a  helpmeet  in 
the  highest  and  best  sense  of  that  term,  as  well  as  in  its 
common  meaning.  She  brought  into  my  life  that  which  I 
so  much  needed — the  warm  sympathy  of  a  loving  heart. 
She  made  for  me  all  work  light,  every  hardship  a  joy.  It 
was  for  her  I  lived,  moved,  and  had  my  being.  The  moral 
support  she  gave  me,  the  intellectual  stimulus,  the  help  in 
all  the  everyday  details  of  life,  no  one  can  ever  know. 

I  was  indeed  poor ;  I  had  an  income  of  only  three  hundred 
dollars  a  year,  was  already  in  debt  'for  seven  hundred  dol- 
lars, for  which  my  personal  notes  had  been  given,  and  it  was 
natural  that  some  should  consider  me  strangely  inconsider- 

85 


86  AUTOBIOGRAPHY 

ate.  But  they  did  not  know  of  the  boundless  wealth  she 
would  bring  into  my  life,  without  making  me  any  the  poorer 
in  the  things  of  this  world.  I  have  done  many  things  in 
my  lifetime  that  I  have  had  occasion  to  regret,  but  this  act 
I  have  always  looked  upon  as  one  of  the  wisest  and  best. 
She  did  not  bring  to  me  earthly  treasures,  but  that  which 
was  far  better,  a  spiritual  wealth  that  had  no  bounds. 

This  was  no  sudden,  rash,  or  childish  act.  We  had  known 
each  other  for  many  years.  I  formed  her  acquaintance  in 
the  days  of  my  college  life.  She  was  for  a  time  a  teacher 
in  Perry  Center  Academy,  my  Alma  Mater,  and  through  my 
sisters  and  others  I  had  heard  much  of  her  admirable  traits 
of  character.  Mrs.  Skinner  of  Perry  Center  and  Mrs.  Pot- 
wine  of  La  Grange  were  her  aunts.  On  one  of  my  visits 
home  from  college,  I  formed  her  acquaintance  at  Mr.  Pot- 
wine's.  From  the  first  I  felt  irresistibly  drawn  to  her.  I 
immediately  courted  her  companionship.  She  did  not  reject 
my  approaches.  She  consented  to  further  acquaintance  and 
correspondence. 

An  opportunity  for .  better  acquaintance  occurred  very 
soon.  At  the  same  time  of  my  return  to  college,  on  recov- 
ering from  my  attack  of  pleurisy  in  the  spring  of  1846,  Mrs. 
Stiles  and  her  daughter  returned  to  their  home  in  Syracuse. 
Fortunately,  we  both  embarked  on  the  same  boat  from  Cuy- 
lerville.  Another  fortunate  circumstance  was  the  fact  that 
it  was  one  of  the  slow  line-boats  that  moved  sluggishly 
along  and  stopped  at  every  town.  Thus  a  short  journey  was 
made  long,  and  an  excellent  oportunity  was  afforded  for  a 
good  social  time.  At  Clyde,  we  stopped  to  see  the  glass 
works,  and,  at  other  places,  other  objects  of  interest.  We 
reached  Syracuse  early  one  morning,  and  I  accompanied 


EDWARD  AUSTIN  SHELDON  87 

her  to  her  home  on  East  Genesee  Street,  where  I  'frequently 
saw  her  on  subsequent  occasions,  and  where  our  final 
engagement  was  consummated. 

It  is  a  good  instance  of  the  dramatic  juxtapositions  of  real 
life,  that  this,  one  of  the  chief  joys,  came  to  me  at  about 
the  same  time  with  one  of  the  greatest  disappointments  in 
my  experience — my  failure  in  the  prize  speech  at  the  College 
"Exhibition."  Both  had  a  strong  determining  influence  over 
my  career,  and  both  in  the  same  direction. 

Our  courtship  was  not  conducted  without  some  drawbacks. 
Our  case  proved  that  the  "course  of  true  love  never  did  run 
smooth."  It  met  with  strong  opposition  on  the  part  of  Mrs. 
Stiles  and  her  immediate  friends,  so  that  our  opportunities 
for  interview  were  few  and  brief.  It  was,  in  fact,  mostly 
carried  on  by  correspondence  and  in  secret.  My  aunt  lived 
at  this  time  in  Syracuse.  This  gave  me  a  good  excuse  for 
spending  my  vacations  here,  and  they  were  very  generally 
improved.  A  little  drawer  in  the  hall  in  Mrs.  Stiles'  house 
was  the  depository  of  our  secret  epistles.  She  taught  me  to 
superscribe  these  missives,  "Meine  Herzen-Geliebte,"  a 
superscription  that  the  mother  was  sure  not  to  understand, 
should  the  letters  be  discovered.  To  this  drawer  I  made 
daily  pilgrimages  to  leave  and  receive  our  love  missives. 
This  opposition  rather  gave  edge  to  our  love  and  courtship, 
while  it  never  caused  her  to  swerve  from  her  purpose.  The 
day  of  our  wedding  was  hastened  by  the  change  of  my  plans, 
and  by  the  wise  Providence  that  ordered  my  life  better 
than  I  knew. 

Our  wedding  was  a  very  simple  one.  We  were  united 
in  marriage  by  the  Rev.  Dr.  Adams  in  a  small  room  at  the 
Globe  Hotel,  in  the  presence  of  a  few  intimate  friends  and 


88  AUTOBIOGRAPHY 

such  relatives  as  resided  in  Syracuse.  Our  wedding  trip 
was  from  Syracuse  to  Oswego.  At  this  time  I  was  boarding 
with  the  Rev.  Mr.  Judson,  the  pastor  of  what  was  then  the 
Second  Presbyterian  Church,  which  subsequently  organized 
into  the  present  Congregational  Church.  His  residence  was 
in  what  was  termed  the  "Stone  Cottage."  With  its  grounds, 
it  occupied  an  entire  block.  The  rooms  were  all  large  and 
airy,  all  on  the  first  floor,  and  the  outlook  upon  the  town 
and  the  lake  was  not  to  be  surpassed.  The  location  was 
directly  opposite  and  toward  the  lake  from  Mr.  J.  W.  P. 
Allen's,  my  first  Oswego  home.  It  was  bounded  by  Seventh 
and  Eighth  and  Oneida  and  Mohawk  Streets.  The  house 
was  afterward  destroyed  by  fire,  and  the  block  was  sold 
out  in  city  lots,  and  is  now  fully  occupied  by  residences. 

I  can  never  forget  the  anticipations  of  this  wedding  day. 
All  the  preparations  'for  it  were  accompanied  by  an  ecstasy 
of  joy.  But  the  realization  far  exceeded  all  that  I  could 
anticipate.  Our  new  home  was  a  delightful  one.  We  had 
as  fellow  boarders  Mr.  and  Mrs.  B.  Randall,  a  newly  mar- 
ried couple,  former  friends  of  mine,  and  among  our  fast 
friends  in  ensuing  years.  A  new  and  most  joyous  life  was 
now  opened  to  me.  Being  in  full  sympathy  with  me  in  my 
work,  Mrs.  Sheldon  aided  me  in  many  ways. 


CHAPTER  XV 

THE  "oSWEGO  SEMINARY":    1849-185I 

and  a 

DIGRESSION    TO   SYRACUSE:    185I-1853 

My  missionary  work,  for  such  it  was,  was  not  altogether 
confined  to  the  ragged  school.  During  the  summer  months 
I  occupied  my  Sundays  in  distributing  religious  papers  and 
tracts  to  sailors  and  boatmen.  I  also  visited  the  jail  for  a 
similar  purpose  and  for  religious  conversation  and 
instruction. 

Like  many  other  philanthropic  enterprises,  an  enthusiastic 
beginning  finds,  after  a  time,  a  waning.  To  this  experi- 
ence our  enterprise  was  not  an  exception.  The  effort  to 
raise  money  to  meet  the  various  expenses  of  the  school  and 
the  necessities  of  the  poor,  began  to  abate,  and  the  general 
interest  to  cease.  As  I  saw  these  tendencies,  I  urged  upon 
the  members  of  our  committee  the  importance  of  making  all 
the  public  schools  of  the  city  free.  This  met  with  a  hearty 
response.  Persons  outside  of  the  Orphan  and  Free  School 
Board  were  consulted,  and  such  was  the  evident  sentiment 
in  favor  of  such  a  movement,  that  we  decided  to  call  a  pub- 
lic meeting  to  discuss  this  question.  I  took  it  upon  myself 
to  circulate  the  call  for  such  a  meeting,  and  to  explain  to 
individual  citizens  upon  whom  I  called,  the  advantages  of  a 
free  school  system.  All  this  occupied  much  time,  covering 
many  months. 

89 


90  AUTOBIOGRAPHY 

The  public  meeting  was  held  in  the  old  Supreme  Court 
room,  which  then  occupied  the  south  end  of  what  is  now  the 
City  Hall,  or  D.  L.  &  W.  Hall,  on  the  second  floor.  We 
had  a  good  attendance  of  influential  men  of  the  city.  A 
plan  'for  the  consolidation  of  the  schools  under  a  free  school 
system  was  presented  and  discussed.  For  the  most  part  the 
plan  was  well  received.  But  one  man,  Thomas  Bond,  a 
politician,  conceived  some  objections  to  the  plan,  and  in  a 
glowing  speech  appealed  to  the  prejudices  of  the  Catholics, 
by  representing  it  as  a  Protestant  movement  to  build  up 
Protestant  institutions,  to  be  paid  for  by  the  Catholics. 
He  was  a  very  flowery,  smooth-tongued  speaker,  and  his 
speech  acomplished  his  purpose.  It  aroused  the  united  and 
strenuous  opposition  of  the  Catholics.  Others  fought  it  on 
the  ground  of  expense. 

In  the  city  were  twelve  school  districts.  Each  district 
had  its  officers.  The  people  saw  that  the  proposed  plan 
would  dissolve  these  districts,  and  so  take  away  from  them 
the  direct  control  of  their  schools.  This  became  another 
source  of  opposition.  However,  at  this  meeting  a  decision 
was  reached  to  appoint  a  committee  to  draw  up  a  definite 
plan,  draft  a  school  law,  and  submit  the  same  to  a  public 
meeting  to  be  called  at  some  time  in  the  future,  when  the 
committee  might  be  able  to  report. 

It  has  taken  but  a  few  words  and  a  few  moments  to  give 
a  brief  account  of  a  movement  that  covered  a  year  or  two 
of  time.  Meanwhile,  an  opportunity  came  to  me  to  take 
charge  of  a  private  school  that  was  organized  by  a  Miss 
Bloomfield,  in  what  was  the  United  States  Hotel  building, 
on  the  site  of  the  present  Normal  School  building.  She  was 
going  to  leave  the  school,  and  desired  me  to  take  it.     The 


EDWARD  AUSTIN  SHELDON  91 

prospect  of  making  all  the  schools  of  the  city  free  seemed  a 
fair  one,  the  interest  in  the  ragged  school  had  so  far  abated 
as  to  make  it  difficult  to  support  it,  and  I  decided  to  take 
the  private  school  and  enlarge  its  scope.  It  had  been  exclu- 
sively a  girls'  school.  I  resolved  to  add  a  boys'  depart- 
ment, and  wrote  to  Brother  John  to  come  and  take  this 
department.  The  arrangement  was  consummated,  and  the 
new  school  was  opened.  In  this  work,  Mrs.  Sheldon  ren- 
dered valuable  assistance,  taking  some  of  the  classes.  The 
school  was  fairly  well  patronized.  We  had  a  pleasant  class 
of  pupils,  coming  from  the  best  families  in  Oswego. 

This  movement,  with  other  circumstances,  seemed  to  make 
a  change  of  boarding-place  desirable.  Mrs.  Sheldon  had 
been  employed  to  sing  in  the  Episcopal  Church,  located  at 
that  time  on  the  southeast  corner  of  the  West  Park.  We 
had  also  united  with  the  First  Presbyterian  Church,  on  the 
West  Side,  Dr.  Condit  being  the  pastor. 

The  main  part  of  the  United  States  Hotel  was  at  that  time 
occupied  as  a  boarding-house  by  a  Mrs.  Grant.  The  school 
occupied  the  west  wing.  We  now  took  rooms  in  the  west 
wing,  and  boarded  with  Mrs.  Grant.  It  is  said  that  this 
building  was  erected  for  a  private  residence,  and  that  wings 
being  added  later,  it  was  converted  into  a  hotel.  It  was 
'found  to  be  too  far  removed  from  the  center  of  business 
to  succeed  as  a  hotel,  and  so  was  occupied  for  schools, 
boarding-house,  etc.,  as  time  went  on.  It  was  in  this  build- 
ing that  our  first  child  was  born. 

With  an  increasing  family  came  increasing  expenses  of 
living.  Our  school,  like  other  institutions,  proved  itself 
liable  to  the  law  of  periodicity.  It  began  to  diminish  in  num- 
bers, and  consequently  in  income.     It  was  hardly  sufficient 


92  AUTOBIOGRAPHY 

for  the  support  of  two  families.  At  this  time  a  vacancy 
occurred  in  the  Superintendency  of  the  pubhc  schools  of 
Syracuse,  The  position  was  offered  me,  and  I  accepted. 
The  salary  was  six  hundred  dollars,  which  was  better  than 
the  income  of  the  private  school.  The  second  year  it  was 
raised  to  seven  hundred  dollars,  with  fifty  dollars  travel- 
ing expenses  additional,  for  visiting  schools  in  other  cities, 
with  a  view  to  improving  those  of  Syracuse. 

Meantime,  in  Oswego,  the  agitation  in  regard  to  free 
schools  was  not  abandoned.  The  movement  had  taken  a 
strong  hold  o'f  the  interest  of  our  leading  citizens,  and  the 
effort  to  secure  free  schools  was  bound  to  go  on.  The  night 
I  left  Oswego  to  take  up  my  new  position  in  Syracuse,  a 
large  meeting  of  the  citizens  was  held  in  the  old  City  Hall 
(now  D.  L.  &  W.  Hall).  The  president  of  the  board  of 
education  of  Utica  had  been  invited  to  address  the  meeting. 
It  broke  up,  however,  in  a  kind  of  row,  and  this  terminated 
all  public  meetings  on  this  subject.  The  spirit  aroused  by 
the  speech  of  Mr.  Bond  at  that  first  meeting,  in  which  he 
arrayed  the  Catholics  against  the  Protestants,  had  gone  on 
fomenting  until  the  entire  Catholic  population  was  opposed 
to  the  measure,  regarding  it  as  a  Protestant  movement. 

It  was  evident,  as  a  result  of  this  last  public  meeting,  that 
if  Oswego  was  to  have  a  system  of  free  schools,  it  must  be 
secured  in  some  other  way  than  by  popular  gatherings.  It 
must  be  accomplished  in  a  more  quiet  way.  This  was  in  the 
spring  of  1851.  The  'following  winter  an  effort  was  made 
to  pass  a  bill  through  the  legislature  to  organize  a  free 
school  system  in  Oswego.  For  some  reason  it  failed  to 
become  a  law,  but  the  following  winter  (1852-3),  with  Hon. 
D.  C.  Littlejohn  in  the  Assembly  and  Hon.  Robert  C.  Piatt 


EDWARD  AUSTIN  SHELDON  93 

in  the  Senate,  both  strong,  able  men,  and  friends  of  this 
new  educational  movement,  the  proposed  bill  became  a  law. 
It  was,  in  truth,  sprung  on  the  people,  as  one  might  say, 
contrary  to  their  will. 

Under  this  act  the  first  board  of  education  was  organized 
May  II,  1853,  and  quite  unsolicited  by  me  and  greatly  to 
my  surprise,  I  was  elected  clerk  or  secretary  as  the  office 
was  termed,  the  salary  to  be  eight  hundred  dollars,  with 
prospect  of  an  advance. 

A  new  and  important  question  was  now  before  me  for 
settlement :  Would  I  remain  and  carry  on  the  work  already 
begun  in  Syracuse,  or  would  I  drop  this,  and  return  to 
Oswego  to  organize  the  work  I  had  set  in  motion  before 
leaving  that  city? 

I  had  been  in  Syracuse  two  years,  had  succeeded  in  recon- 
ciling some  antagonisms  that  had  existed  among  the  educa- 
tional forces  of  that  cty,  had  accomplished  something  in  the 
way  of  improving  the  classification  and  gradation  of  the 
schools,  had  put  in  operation  a  library  system  for  the  pub- 
lic and  the  schools,  with  a  central  library  as  a  nucleus;  I 
had  published,  in  pamphlet  form,  the  first  annual  report 
that  had  been  issued,  in  which  I  set  forth  very  fully  the  util- 
ity of  a  High  School  as  a  keystone  to  the  existing  system  of 
public  schools,  by  which  means  I  had  succeeded  in  awaken- 
ing a  deep  interest  in  this  subject.  I  had  done  much  to 
improve  the  buildings  and  grounds,  had  put  into  operation 
a  system  of  evening  schools.  I  had  evidently  gained  the 
confidence  and  co-operation  of  the  teachers,  the  Board,  and 
the  people,  and  every  prospect  seemed  flattering  for  the 
carrying  out  of  the  improvements  already  planned. 

Syracuse  was  a  more  central,  a  more  thriving,  and  a  larger 


94  AUTOBIOGRAPHY 

city  than  Oswego,  and  in  these  ways  seemed  a  more  promis- 
ing field  of  labor.  In  Syracuse  I  had  formed  some  warm 
friendships  both  in  the  board  and  among  the  teachers.  Such 
was  more  particularly  the  case  with  Mrs.  Sheldon,  who, 
though  not  born  in  Syracuse,  was  reared  there  'from  a  child. 
We  were  then  keeping  house  in  her  old  homestead,  and  were 
fairly  settled  down  in  a  pleasant  home,  with  plenty  of  good 
friends  about  us.  It  was  not,  therefore,  without  many 
regrets  that  we  thought  of  breaking  away  from  these  old 
associations  and  from  the  inviting  prospects  that  lay  before 
us  there. 

On  the  other  hand,  I  had  formed  a  strong  affection  for 
Oswego,  and  some  of  its  citizens  in  particular,  a  number  of 
whom  were  in  the  Board.  In  Oswego  I  would  have  the 
advantage  of  organizing  a  system  from  the  start,  in  accord- 
ance with  my  own  views.  This  would  be  better  than  to 
try  to  patch  up  and  reorganize  one  already  established.  I 
would  have  the  pleasure  of  carrying  out  and  perfecting  plans 
I  had  already  laid  out  for  Oswego.  To  my  mind,  the  latter 
considerations  outweighed  the  former,  and  I  accordingly 
decided  to  return  to  my  first  love.  I  resigned  my  position 
in  Syracuse,  and  entered  at  once  upon  what  proved  to  be 
my  life-work  in  Oswego. 


CHAPTER  XVI 

"a  traitor  to  his  country" 

At  the  time  of  Mr.  Sheldon's  residence  in  Syracuse,  anti-slavery  / 
agitation  was  passing  through  one  of  its  hottest  phases,  owing  to 
the  passage,  in  1850,  of  the  Fugitive  Slave  Law,  and  the  attempts  of 
the  Government  to  execute  it.  Syracuse  was  one  of  the  main 
strongholds  of  abolitionism.  It  was  one  of  the  chief  stations  of  the 
"underground  railway,"  by  which  escaping  slaves  were  spirited  away 
to  Canada.  In  Syracuse,  the  eminent  Unitarian  divine,  Samuel  J. 
May,  was  preaching  abolition  of  slavery,  and  actively  aiding  in  the 
escape  of  slaves,  as  notably  in  the  "rescue  of  Jerry."  Mrs.  Sheldon's 
father,  Ezra  Stiles,  had  taken  a  leading  part  in  these  enterprises,  but 
was  not  now  living.  Of  course  the  daughter  and  her  husband  were 
keenly  interested  in  the  cause.  Two  of  their  letters,  dated  1851, 
show  where  they  stood,  and  restore  those  times  vividly  to  mind. — 
Ed. 

E.  A.  Sheldon  to  his  brother  George. 


Syracuse  never  saw  such  a  time  as  last  week 
afforded.  And  I  could  wish  and  pray  that  Sun,  Moon,  or 
Stars  might  never  look  upon  another  such  scene.  Our  at- 
tention was  first  arrested  by  the  tolling  of  four  or  five 
church  bells.  On  inquiry  we  learned  that  one  of  our  citi- 
zens, a  colored  man  who  had  been  residing  here  some  two 
years,  was  arrested  and  claimed  as  a  slave,  by  a  man  who 
boasted  in  open  court  that  he  was  "of  proud  and  noble 
blood"  ■[  !  !  A  great  crowd  gathered  around  the  court 
room.  This  was  about  two  o'clock  in  the  afternoon;  he 
was  arrested  about  twelve  M.  They  now  began  to  talk 
about  adjourning  to  a  larger  room,  when  the  prisoner, 
bound  hand  and  foot  in  irons!!!    (this  is  a  free  country 

95 


96  AUTOBIOGRAPHY 

you  know,  though  he  was  not  yet  proved  guilty  of  having 
escaped  from  slavery),  was  seized  and  conveyed  through 
the  streets  by  the  agitated  crowd.  They  were  followed  by 
a  body  of  police  and  other  officers,  and  after  a  long  and 
severe  struggle  he  was  retaken. 

It  was  on  this  occasion  that  I  witnessed  what  I  never 
expected  to  behold.  As  the  throng  rushed  by  my  office 
I  went  into  the  streets  to  see  what  was  going  on.  Soon  a 
well-dressed,  fine-looking  man  came  running  through  the 
streets  at  full  speed,  crying  at  the  highest  pitch  of  his 
voice :  "Stop  that  slave-catcher !  stop  that  slave-catcher !  " — 
followed  closely  by  an  officer  of  JUSTICE — (Gracious 
Heaven!  is  this  Amencan  Justice!) — who  pounced  upon 
his  prey,  as  he  fell  over  a  pile  of  stones,  like  a  ferocious 
beast  of  the  forest.  It  proved  to  be  a  Mr.  Gibbs,  a  highly 
respectable  lawyer  of  Massachusetts,  who  was,  or  was  sup- 
posed to  be  aiding  the  prisoner,  for  whom  he  was  council. 
He  was  carried  before  Justice  House,  who  released  him 
zmthout  bail. 

This  was  but  one  part  of  the  tragedy.  Soon  came  a 
scene  that  made  my  blood  curdle  in  my  veins ;  and  made 
me  ashamed  of  the  land  of  my  nativity;  a  country  of  which 
I  have  been  taught  to  be  proud.  I  saw  this  fugitive  from, 
not  justice,  but  injustice,  dragged  through  the  streets  like 
a  dog,  every  rag  of  clothes  stripped  from  his  back,  hauled 
upon  a  cart  like  a  dead  carcase  and  driven  away  to  a  police 
office,  for  a  mock  trial. 

The  bells  that  had  begun  to  peal  their  merry  rounds  in 
joy  for  his  escape,  now  again  resumed  their  mournful  notes. 
The  crowd  that  now  gathered  around  the  police  office  was 
immense.  Two  or  three  speakers  harangued  them  from  the 
steps  of  the  office,  while  deeds  of  brutal,  heathenish  dark- 
ness were  being  enacted  within. 

It  was  a  favorable  time  for  this  tragedy.  A  time,  too, 
no  doubt,  that  was  agreed  upon,  and  understood  by  Fill- 
more and  his  whole  cabinet.     For  Webster,  in  his  famous 


EDWARD  AUSTIN  SHELDON  97 

speech  here  a  short  time  since,  said,  in  my  hearing,  and 
the  hearing  of  thousands  of  our  citizens,  that  we,  that  is, 
those  who  denounce  and  resist  the  Fugitive-Slave  Law  were 
"traitors!  traitors!  traitors!"  That  our  action  was  nothing 
less  than  high  treason!  treason!  treason!  treason!"  That 
in  spite  of  us  "this  Fugitive-Slave  Law  ivoiild  he  executed; 
and  would  be  executed,  too,  at  the  next  antislaz'ery  conven- 
tion held  in  Syracuse";  and  if  we  were  not  careful  "a  cer- 
tain other  law  zvoidd  he  executed  also" ;  referring  to  the 
law  for  high-treason.  Well  the  time  of  the  Prophet  had 
come  and  his  words  must  needs  be  fulfilled.  A  slave  hound 
had  been  waiting  at  one  of  our  principal  hotels  for  this 
convention  to  sit.  On  the  same  day  the  County  Fair  was 
in  town ;  so  that,  we  had  here  not  only  eminent  strangers 
from  abroad,  but  the  best  and  most  substantial  citizens  of 
the  County.  All  were  here  to  see  the  practical  working  of 
this  ahominahle  law. 

The  crowd  increased  as  the  trial  went  on,  until  about 
half-past  eight  o'clock  the  excitement  became  so  warm  that 
an  occasional  brick-bat  was  hurled  through  the  windows  of 
the  office,  and  by  the  heads  of  the  officers,  reminding  them 
that  it  might  be  safe  to  adjourn  till  morning.  Not  much 
after  this  action,  everything  having  been  well  organized  and 
arranged,  the  outsiders,  with  a  twelve-foot  plank  for  a 
battering-ram,  and  axes,  crowbars  and  pistols,  instan- 
taneously broke  through  doors  and  windows,  bars  and 
bolts,  exchanged  two  or  three  shots,  broke  one  officer's  arm 
twice  (one  who  in  his  zeal  had  come  down  from  Rochester 
to  help  defend  and  execute  the  laws  of  his  country),  who 
then  broke  a  window  out  at  full  length  and  jumped  at  least 
sixteen  feet  on  to  the  hard  pavement,  with  a  narrow  escape 
of  his  life,  and  frightened  the  rest  almost  to  death;  who 
huddled  into  the  corner  of  the  room  like  so  many  sheep. 
The  rescuers  went  through  a  second  partition,  took  the 
prisoner  and  conveyed  him  away  in  triumph,  while  the 
welkin  rang  with  the  shouts  of  the  delighted  multitude. 


98  AUTOBIOGRAPHY 

This  tragedy  has  put  to  flight  a  large  number  of  our 
colored  brethren — and  among  them  one  or  two  of  our 
most  talented  and  respectable  citizens,  one  a  clergyman. 
That  southern  gentleman  of  noble  blood!  has  been  arrested 
as  a  kidnapper,  and  has  given  bonds  of  one  thousand 
dollars.  It  is  rumored  that  fifty  of  our  best  and  most  re- 
spectable citizens  will  be  arrested  this  week  and  tried  for 
treason,  the  penalty  of  which  is  death.  We  expect  that 
the  worst  part  of  the  tragedy  is  yet  to  be  enacted. 

Mrs.  Sheldon  to  Sister  Dorliska. 

We  begin  to  find  that  we  at  the  North  have 
something  to  do  with  slavery,  and  this  is  shaking  us  some 
also.  Considerable  anxiety  is  felt  here  relative  to  the 
examinations  going  on  to-day  at  Buffalo  of  our  citizens 
who  are  charged  with  violating  the  laws  of  their  land.  Oh 
my  country!  where  is  thy  shame?  About  three  hundred 
witnesses  have  been  summoned  to  appear.  You  can  have 
no  idea  of  the  differences  between  reading  of  an  arrest 
of  a  fugitive  and  actually  witnessing  it.  Last  week  one 
day  it  was  ascertained  just  before  evening  that  kidnappers 
were  in  town  and  in  quest  of  a  female  slave,  a  woman 
whom  many  of  us  knew  as  a  really  exemplary  mother  of 
a  family  of  five  children.  Before  twelve  o'clock  that  night 
she  and  her  children  were  placed  beyond  the  reach  of 
SoiUhern  chivalry,  and  every  colored  family  in  the  city 
warned  that  hounds  were  in  town.  Notices  that  "kid- 
nappers are  in  town"  were  found  posted  at  every  turn  by 
the  next  morning.  It  was  a  matter  of  great  mystery  to 
us  how  the  Vigilance  Committee  obtained  news  so  soon, 
but  we  were  soon  satisfied  that  the  southern  men  had  some 
traitors  among  those  who  are  so  zealous  in  aiding  them. 
Syracuse  will  escape  the  odium  of  allowing  a  fugitive  to 
be  taken  from  her  midst.  It  never  can  be  done.  Is  this 
not  a  treasonable  letter? 


CHAPTER  XVII 

ORGANIZATION  OF  FREE  SCHOOLS  IN  OSWEGO:  1853 

Up  to  this  time  the  schools  of  Oswego  had  been  under  the 
old  district  school  rate-bill  system,  the  same  as  the  country 
schools.  Each  district  had  its  own  local  officers,  elected 
annually  by  the  people  of  the  district.  In  this  way  each 
district  was  a  separate  establishment  by  itself.  There  were 
twelve  such  districts  in  the  city.  The  new  law  contemplated 
the  consolidation  of  all  these  districts  into  one  with  a  single 
governing  board. 

I  saw  before  me  many  inevitable  breakers.  The  spring- 
ing of  this  new  order  of  things  upon  the  citizens  without 
their  knowledge  or  consent  was  extremely  distasteful  to 
them.  The  officers  of  the  various  districts  did  not  relish 
giving  up  their  books  and  accounts  and  their  authority,  how- 
ever brief.  Mr.  Fisher,  an  old  friend,  said  to  me  as  he  met 
me  on  the  walk  the  first  day  I  returned  to  Oswego:  "You 
have  come  to  a  hard  place  to  build  up  schools.  I  have  tried 
all  my  life  to  awaken  some  interest  in  school  matters,  but  all 
to  no  purpose.  It  is  of  no  use.  You  can  do  nothing."  But 
this  was  the  very  thing  I  had  come  to  do,  and  if  I  failed 
in  this  I  had  better  not  have  come. 

I  asked  the  board  for  time  until  September  to  mature 
my  plans  and  make  all  necessary  arrangements  for  open- 
ing the  schools  under  the  new  act.  To  this,  ready  assent 
was  gained,  and  I  began  in  earnest  to  study  the  existing 

99 


loo  AUTOBIOGRAPHY 

conditions  and  the  best  methods  of  bringing  the  schools 
under  the  new  order  with  as  Httle  friction  as  possible.  In 
several  districts  I  found  a  single  teacher  instructing  all 
grades.  In  a  few  others,  the  work  of  instruction  was  divided 
"between  two  teachers.  With  a  single  exception  no  school 
had  more  than  two  teachers.  In  two  schools  algebra  was 
taught,  but  with  these  exceptions  no  branches  above  the 
common  English  were  taught.  In  a  few  cases  the  teaching 
was  good,  in  others  poor,  very  poor. 

My  plan  was  soon  perfected.  I  decided  to  wipe  out  all 
present  district  boundaries  and  establish  new  ones  on  an 
entirely  new  plan,  as  follows :  I  arranged  the  city  into 
twelve  primary  school  districts,  as  nearly  equal  in  num- 
ber of  children  as  I  could  estimate.  These  schools  should 
embrace  the  first  three  years  of  the  child's  school  life,  from 
five  to  seven,  or  practically  that.  I  then  divided  the  city 
again  into  four  Junior  School  districts,  which  were  to  in- 
clude children  in  the  fourth,  fifth  and  sixth  years  of  their 
school  life,  or  from  eight  to  ten  years  of  age.  I  en- 
deavored to  distribute  the  children  of  these  ages  around 
four  schools  as  nearly  equally  as  possible.  I  then  ar- 
ranged for  two  Senior  schools,  one  on  each  side  of  the 
river,  providing  a  three  years'  course  after  the  Junior 
schools,  and  including  ages  from  eleven  to  thirteen. 

Where  buildings  were  located  conveniently  for  the  ac- 
commodation of  one  or  more  of  these  groups,  they  were 
accordingly  utilized.  In  the  outskirts  or  sparsely  popu- 
lated portions  of  the  city,  the  small  buildings,  if  con- 
venitently  located,  were  occupied  by  primary  groups  alone. 
If  any  building  was  suitably  located  for  a  primary  and 
a  Junior  group  to  be  together,  it  was  so  utilized.     Some- 


EDWARD  AUSTIN  SHELDON  loi 

times  the  plan  arranged  for  a  Junior  group  in  a  separate 
building,  sometimes  for  a  Senior  group  in  the  same  way. 
In  but  one  instance  were  all  the  groups  found  in  a  single 
building. 

The  High  school  course  was  arranged  for  four  years, 
embracing  all  the  branches  at  present  taught  in  the  high 
schools  of  this  State.  This  completed  a  continuous  course 
of  thirteen  years.  A  definite  course  of  study  was  marked 
out  for  each  year,  comprising  an  entire  continuous  course 
from  the  Primary  school  through  the  High  school.  The 
general  plan  is  essentially  the  same  as  that  now  existing  in 
the  public  schools  of  Oswego. 

The  most  difficult  task  that  lay  before  me  was  the 
weeding  out  of  poor  teachers  and  getting  good  ones  in 
their  places.  I  knew  very  well  that,  however  good  my 
plans  might  be,  without  good  teachers  I  could  accomplish 
nothing.  My  board  appreciated  this  as  well  as  I,  and 
expressed  a  willingness  to  allow  me  to  select  my  own 
teachers.  I  knew,  however,  that  there  were  members  of 
the  board  who  had  personal  friends  among  the  teachers. 
They  regarded  these  friends  as  the  best  of  teachers  and 
would  stoutly  resist  any  proposition  to  drop  them  out.  I 
therefore  said  to  the  board :  "We  ought  to  require  an 
examination  of  these  teachers  before  they  receive  their 
appointments."  To  this  they  readily  assented.  I  further 
proposed  the  plan,  that  at  the  time  of  the  examination, 
each  candidate  for  examination  should  draw  a  number 
from  a  hat,  by  which  he  should  be  recognized.  This  num- 
ber should  be  placed  on  a  card  with  the  name,  put  into 
an  envelope  and  sealed.  This  number  should  be  on  all 
the  papers  containing  answers.     After  the  papers  had  all 


102  AUTOBIOGRAPHY 

been  examined,  all  parties  whose  standing  should  be  above 
a  certain  fixed  percentage  would  be  eligible  to  appoint- 
ment, while  none  of  the  others  would  be.  Not  until  the 
appointment  by  numbers  had  been  reached  should  the  en- 
velopes containing  the  numbers  and  names  be  opened. 
This  all  agreed  was  perfectly  fair  and  equitable,  and  a 
resolution  was  passed  by  the  board  adopting  the  plan. 

When  the  examination  came,  I  was  sick  and  not  able 
to  be  present,  but  when  the  announcement  of  the  result 
was  made  in  open  board,  there  were  many  expressions  of 
surprise  and  disappointment.  Fortunately  the  board  was 
composed  of  reasonable  men.  They  had  committed  them- 
selves to  the  plan  and  could  hardly  go  back  on  the  action 
they  had  taken.  A  little  patching  up  of  two  or  three 
cases  had  to  be  done  to  quiet  the  disturbed  waters.  The 
result  was  that  a  few  of  the  best  teachers  were  retained 
and  the  incapables  were  set  adrift. 

I  took  great  care  to  select  for  each  position  the  most 
capable  teacher  that  the  salary  paid  would  command.  I 
found  already  in  the  schools,  two  graduates  of  the  Albany 
Normal  School,  Mr.  I.  B.  Poucher  and  Miss  L.  E.  An- 
drews. They  were  both  superior  teachers.  So  far  as  I 
could,  I  obtained  other  graduates  from  the  same  institu- 
tion. Some  of  my  best  teachers  I  brought  with  me  from 
Syracuse. 

On  the  whole,  my  selections  proved  'fortunate.  I  had 
a  corps  of  good,  tried  teachers  to  start  with.  Of  course 
the  cry  was  raised  against  the  importing  of  foreign  teach- 
ers, rather  than  encouraging  home  talent.  The  same  cry 
was  raised  against  my  own  appointment.  It  is  the  same 
old  story  everywhere;  I  had  heard  it  in  Syracuse  and  have 


EDWARD  AUSTIN  SHELDON  103 

heard  it  from  that  day  to  this.  I  sometimes  think  this 
kind  of  prejudice  grows  stronger  as  the  years  go  on.  I 
very  much  doubt  whether  a  foreign  teacher  could  be  em- 
ployed in  the  Oswego  schools  of  to-day.  But  I  had  a  board 
that  always  stood  by  me  and  allowed  me  to  select  my  own 
teachers  without  interference;  and  I  always  selected  the 
best  I  could  find,  regardless  of  locality,  or  minor,  or  per- 
sonal considerations.  If  one  thing  more  than  another  has 
contributed  to  my  success,  it  has  been  my  ability  to  select 
good  teachers.  Without  them  success  is  impossible.  With 
them  a   superintendent  may   succeed  against  all  odds. 

My  plans  were  now  all  laid,  a  course  of  study  decided 
upon,  and  the  teachers  employed.  The  old-fashioned  and 
rickety  school  furniture  had  been  replaced  by  the  newest 
and  most  approved  to  be  obtained,  the  buildings  were  re- 
novated and  everything  abqut  them  was  made  not  only 
respectable,  but  inviting. 

I  had  the  entire  plan,  including  the  course  of  study,  the 
boundaries  of  the  different  districts,  the  character  of  the 
grouping,  all  published  in  detail  in  the  daily  papers,  ex- 
plaining everything  as  clearly  as  possible.  I  called  my 
teachers  together  and  gave  them  careful  instructions  how 
to  proceed.  I  charged  them  not  to  be  too  tenacious  about 
qualification,  saying,  "So  far  as  practicable,  accept  the 
children  as  they  come,  and  leave  the  adjustment  of  minor 
matters  to  the  future.  Let  us  avoid  friction  as  far  as 
possible." 


CHAPTER  XVIII 

THE  WORK  AND  RESULTS  OF  THE  FIRST  YEAR 

The  first  day  of  school  under  the  "new  system"  was 
the  strangest  one  ever  experienced  by  either  parents  or 
children  connected  with  the  public  schools  of  Oswego. 
Families  were  separated,  some  members  going  one  way  to 
a  Primary  school,  others  a  different  way  to  a  Junior 
school ;  and  others  still  to  a  Senior  or  the  High  school.  As 
might  well  be  imagined,  the  confusion  was  complete.  I 
went  as  rapidly  as  possible  from  one  point  to  another, 
helping  to  bring  order  out  of  confusion.  The  day  went 
quite  as  well  as  could  have  been  expected.  At  least  the 
beginning  had  been  made. 

The  very  complexity  of  the  arrangement  in  one  way 
seemed  to  have  a  good  effect.  The  curiosity  of  the  people 
was  aroused  to  know  what  would  come  of  it.  It  was 
something  that  attracted  their  attention  and  aroused  their 
interest.  The  machine  was  now  running  in  all  its  parts, 
and  I  Ventura  the  assertion  that  a  more  perfect  piece  of 
educational  machinery  was  never  constructed.  All  that 
was  necessary  now  was  to  make  some  adjustments,  re- 
move some  causes  of  friction,  and  provide  the  necessary 
adjuncts. 

The  several  local  district  libraries  were  ordered  sent 
to  my  office,  then  on  Water  Street,  on  the  first  floor  of 
the  City  Hall  building   (now  V.  L.  &  W.),  and  out  of 

104 


First  Normal  School  Bl'ildixg. 

[The  Old  United  States  Hotel.] 


EDWARD  AUSTIN  SHELDON  .     105 

this  miscellaneous  mass  one  central  library  had  to  be  or- 
ganized. With  such  assistance  as  Mrs.  Sheldon  could  give 
me,  this  work  was  done  with  my  own  hands,  and  to  my 
duties  as  secretary  of  the  board  were  added  those  of  city 
librarian. 

I  opened  a  set  of  double  entry  books.  I  examined  and 
certified  to  all  bills,  kept  all  the  accounts  of  the  board,  and 
annually  made  a  detailed  report  of  all  the  doings  of  the 
board  and  the  schools.  This  report  was  always  published 
in  pamphlet  form,  files  of  which  have  been  kept  and  bound 
together  for  the  city  and  Normal  school  libraries,  and  a 
few  for  private  use. 

These  various  duties  kept  me  fully  occupied.  At  this 
stage  of  progress  in  the  organization  of  the  schools,  I  felt 
it  incumbent  on  me  to  be  everywhere  and  to  keep  things 
moving  as  smoothly  and  harmoniously  as  possible.  If  I 
heard  of  any  disaffected  parties,  I  went  to  their  homes  and 
talked  matters  over,  and  rarely  failed  to  bring  about  a  re- 
conciliation. If  it  became  necessary  to  make  any  important 
change  in  the  location  of  children  at  school,  I  would  visit 
the  parents  and  so  pave  the  way  for  the  change.  By  dint 
of  the  greatest  care  and  diligence  we  succeeded  in  getting 
through  the  year  without  going  to  pieces,  and  came  out 
with  an  improved  organization  and  on  a  good  footing,  as 
the  children  were  now  in  their  proper  places. 

However,  we  did  not  have  altogether  smooth  sailing. 
Much  opposition  manifested  itself,  and  it  was  said  that 
a  petition  signed  by  eight  hundred  citizens  was  sent  to 
Albany  asking  for  the  repeal  of  the  law;  but  this  was  the 
last  serious  effort  made  agai»st  the  "new  system."  Yet 
at  each  annual  election  of  new  commissioners  something 


io6  AUTOBIOGRAPHY 

of  discontent  and  the  spirit  of  disorganization  manifested 
itself.  It  was  always  at  this  season  that  I  felt  the  deepest 
anxiety.  Next  in  importance  to  good  teachers  were  good 
commissioners.  It  was  for  this  reason  that  I  felt  it  incum- 
bent upon  me,  as  far  as  possible,  to  run  these  elections.  I 
had  the  credit  of  doing  it,  and  in  an  important  sense  it  was 
true.  Four  new  men  were  elected  each  year,  or  old  ones 
returned.  Some  time  before  election  I  was  on  the  alert, 
would  have  a  good  man  picked  out,  would  get  my  friends 
interested  in  the  nomination.  As  the  day  approached  I 
was  active,  going  from  one  to  another,  urging  the  import- 
ance of  attending  to  this  matter.  On  the  day  of  election 
I  was  not  idle.  I  went  the  rounds  among  my  friends 
again  to  see  that  they  did  not  neglect  their  duty,  and  espe- 
cially if  there  was  any  danger  point,  I  guarded  that  in 
every  possible  way.  It  rarely  occurred  that  a  man  hostile 
to  the  schools  was  elected. 

It  was  by  this  eternal  vigilance  that  we  succeeded  in 
keeping  a  good  board.  Occasionally,  the  opposition  was 
too  strong  for  us  and  a  "kicker"  would  be  elected.  In 
such  a  case  I  was  careful  to  give  him  every  possible  atten- 
tion. I  took  pains  to  take  him  to  the  schools  and  show 
him  their  practical  working,  and  in  this  way  I  never  failed 
to  make  of  him  an  everlasting  friend  to  the  schools.  I  well 
recall  one  marked  case  of  a  man  who  was  elected  on  the 
issue  of  economy  in  the  administration  of  the  schools.  He 
was  made  chairman  of  the  executive  committee.  I  took 
him  the  next  morning  after  his  appointment  to  this  commit- 
tee and  went  from  building  to  building  and  showed  him 
conditions  and  appurtenances.  As  a  result,  when  the  time 
came  for  making  the  budget,  he  was  the  most  liberal  man 


EDWARD  AUSTIN  SHELDON  107 

on  the  board,  and  moved  to  advance  the  budget  beyond 
what  the  board  were  wilHng  to  sanction. 

It  was  in  such  ways  that  I  gained  the  reputation  of  win- 
ning over  to  the  interest  of  the  schools  every  man  how- 
ever serious  his  opposition  when  elected.  I  doubtless  de- 
served all  the  reputation  I  got  in  this  way,  for  I  made  it 
as  much  my  duty  to  train  every  new  member  of  the  board 
as  to  train  in  my  new  teachers.  Without  the  backing  of 
my  board  I  could  do  nothing.  I  must  have  their  hearty 
co-operation  and  support  in  order  to  accomplish  anything. 
I  am  happy  to  be  able  to  say  that  I  had  in  this  respect  all 
I  desired.  They  gave  me  carte  blanche  to  get  what  was 
necessary  for  the  schools.  I  never  abused  their  confidence, 
and  they  trusted  me  implicitly.  They  invariably  gave  me 
the  teachers  I  wanted  and  any  necessary  facilities  for  run- 
ning the  schools.  In  fact  I  had  things  my  own  way  so 
completely  that  I  got  the  title  of  "Pope  Sheldon." 

If  one  is  to  be  responsible  for  the  success  of  a  system 
of  schools,  he  must  be  allowed  freedom  in  their  organiza- 
tion and  management.  The  Board  of  Education  under- 
stood this,  and,  holding  me  responsible,  gave  me  the  lib- 
erty. In  this  way  the  public  schools  of  Oswego  became 
what  I  made  them.  I  could  have  done  little  without  the 
moral  backing  of  a  board  composed  of  some  of  our  most 
highly  respected  citizens.  The  people  had  confidence  in 
them  and  they  in  me,  and  by  the  combination  of  these 
moral  forces  we  were  able  to  accomplish  much. 

At  the  end  of  the  first  year  we  were  able  to  make  a 
good  financial  showing.  We  demonstrated  that  notwith- 
standing the  many  extraordinary  expenditures  incident  to 
the  opening  of  the  schools  and  while  the  number  of  chil- 


io8  AUTOBIOGRAPHY 

dren  in  the  public  schools  had  nearly  doubled,  the  expenses 
over  the  previous  year  were  only  $266.83,  while  the  range 
and  quality  of  instruction  given  had  been  greatly  improved. 
•With  this  showing  there  was  little  danger  of  going  back 
to  the  old  system.  The  experience  of  one  year  had  won 
"the  people  to  the  new  order,  and  we  entered  upon  the  new 
year  with  the  feeling  of  confidence  and  permanency. 


CHAPTER  XIX 

SPECIAL  FEATURES — SUCCESS  OF  THE  "mACHINE" 

During  the  second  year  of  my  administration  the  most 
important  new  feature  engrafted  was  the  opening  of  what 
we  termed  "arithmetic  schools."  These  were  a  new  fea- 
ture, not  only  of  Oswego,  but,  so  far  as  I  know,  of  any 
system  of  grade  schools.  They  were  designed  to  accomo- 
date a  class  of  pupils  who  had  occupation  during  the  sum- 
mer, but  were  idle  in  the  winter.  The  attendance  was 
always  large,  often  crowded.  In  many  ways  it  could  have 
been  disastrous  to  the  graded  schools  to  have  thrown  this 
crowd  of  uncouth,  untutored,  hard,  rough  overgrown  boys 
into  them,  provided  they  could  have  been  prevailed  upon 
to  go,  which  is  very  doubtful.  Had  they  gone,  they  would 
not  have  found  what  they  wanted,  and  would  have  been 
brought  into  association  with  pupils  much  younger  than 
themselves  which  would  of  itself  have  been  a  source  of 
mortification  to  them,  to  say  nothing  of  the  dangerous  in- 
fluence on  their  younger  associates. 

What  they  all  wanted  was  arithmetic,  and  as  much  of 
it  as  possible — hence  the  name.  They  usually  took  with 
this  subject,  reading,  writing,  spelling,  and  sometimes  geo- 
graphy or  bookkeeping.  They  were  earnest,  attentive 
students,  and  most  of  them  accomplished  a  good  deal  of 
work  in  the  winter  months.     It  was  practically  a  boys' 

109 


no  AUTOBIOGRAPHY 

school,  because  no  girls  applied.  Two  of  these  schools 
were  opened,  one  on  each  side  of  the  river.* 

Evening  schools  were  included  as  a  part  of  the  system 
from  the  very  first.  One  hundred  and  thirty-nine  pupils 
registered  the  first  winter,  requiring  the  services  of  Mr. 
I.  B.  Poucher  and  Mr.  V.  C.  Douglass.  These  schools  had 
a  marked  success  from  the  very  beginning. 

One  important  measure  was  the  establishment  of  an  Un- 
classified School.  This  put  the  finishing  touch  to  the  "new 
system."  It  was  an  innovation  on  the  "graded  System  of 
Public  Schools."  Nothing  of  the  kind  had  ever  been 
known  before,  but  it  became  an  essential  feature  of  the 
Oswego  schools,  and  I  understand  that  such  schools  have 
since  been  opened  in  other  cities.  They  ought  to  consti- 
tute a  part  of  every  system  of  closely  classified  public 
schools.  They  meet  difficulties  that  constitute  serious  ob- 
jections to  such  a  system.  It  often  happens  that  pupils 
come  from  the  country,  or  from  some  other  town,  where 
there  is  no  system  of  classified  schools,  and  they  are  be- 
hind in  some  subjects  required  for  admission  to  classes 
they  would  be  prepared  to  enter  in  other  subjects.  Such 
pupils  can  enter  the  unclassified  school  and  bring  up  the 
neglected  subject,  and  thus  qualify  themselves  to  enter 
at  the  point  suited  to  their  age  and  other  qualifications. 

Again  there  are  some  pupils  whose  term  of  attendance 
at  the  public  schools  is  necessarily  short,  owing  to  pecuni- 
ary or  social  conditions,  and  who  wish  to  pursue  special 
subjects  important  to  employment  in  some  branch  of  in- 
dustry, perhaps  bookkeeping  or  arithmetic,  or  both.     Such 


•For  full  reports  of  these  and  of  the  evening  schools,  see  Second  Annual 
Report  of  Board  of  Education  of  Oswego,  pp.  18-29,  from  which  it  will  be 
seen   how  essential  a  part  of  our  educational  system  they  formed. 


EDWARD  AUSTIN  SHELDON  iii 

pupils  cannot  give  the  time  necessary  to  reach  the  point 
in  the  regular  prescribed  course,  where  these  subjects  are 
completed.  In  the  classified  schools  they  can  take  them 
up  and  go  forward  in  them  as  rapidly  as  they  are  capable 
of  doing,  without  being  kept  back  by  others. 

It  often  happens  that  pupils,  for  one  reason  or  another, 
have  fallen  behind  the  classes  to  which  their  age  might 
otherwise  entitle  them.  On  account  of  their  age  and  size 
'they  are  not  comfortable  in  the  classes  where  their  ad- 
vancement in  the  prescribed  branches  of  study  would  place 
them,  but  they  can  go  into  the  unclassified  school,  where 
they  will  find  their  equals  and  can  take  up  here  such 
branches  as  are  adapted  to  their  advancement  and  press 
forward  in  them  as  rapidly  as  they  are  able  to  progress. 
In  this  way  such  a  school  meets  conditions  that  cannot 
well  be  provided  for  in  the  regularly  graded  schools.* 

During  the  second  year  of  the  schools,  much  time  and 
attention  were  given  to  a  more  careful  classification  and 
grading  of  the  pupils,  to  the  enlargement  of  the  accommo- 
dations arid  in  every  way  to  the  perfecting  of  the  work 
begun. 

The  most  serious  embarrassment  experienced  was  the 
need  of  greater  school  accommodations.  The  law  allowed 
too  limited  an  amount  for  building  purposes  to  meet  the 
demand  of  a  growing  school  population.  This  had  already 
doubled  in  a  wonderful  way.  The  private  schools,  of  which 
there  were  a  large  number,  had  vanished  in  the  presence 
of  the  new  system,  until  not  a  single  one  was  left.  More 
or  less  of  the   furniture  of  these  schools  was  purchased 


•This    feature    was    added    first    in    1859,    much    later    than    the    two    pre- 
ceding.— Ed. 


112  AUTOBIOGRAPHY 

by  the  board  for  use  in  the  public  schools.  Among  these 
schools  was  the  one  presided  over  by  "Brother  John,"  which 
we  had  started.  The  public  schools  were  now  too  popular 
to  allow  the  existence  of  a  single  private  school,  however 
excellent.  It  was  said  that  there  were  five  hundred  chil- 
dren away  from  home  in  private  schools.  The  new  system 
brought  them  home.  In  this  way  all  the  children  of 
school  age  were  brought  into  the  public  schools,  and  it 
'was  very  difficult  to  provide  room  for  them.  But  during 
the  course  of  the  year  new  buildings  were  erected,  and 
other  facilities  added. 

Teachers'  meetings  were  an  essential  feature  of  the 
administration  of  the  schools  from  the  very  beginning. 
These  were  held  weekly,  at  which  time  I  had  an  oppor- 
tunity of  giving  the  necessary  instruction  in  regard  to 
organization,  classification,  instruction  and  discipline. 
Without  these  frequent  meetings  with  my  teachers,  I  do 
not  see  how  it  would  have  been  possible  for  me  to  carry 
out  my  plans  and  methods  of  administration  and  instruc- 
tion. In  fact  I  relied  upon  the  meetings  very  largely  for 
this  purpose — these  instructions  being  followed  up  by  per- 
sonal visits.  The  discussions  dealt  with  principles  of  edu- 
cation and  methods  of  teaching  in  detail.  I  have  never 
seen  the  time  from  that  day  to  this  when  I  felt  that  I 
could  dispense  with  these  meetings.  It  is  essential  in  every 
system  of  schools,  or  even  in  a  single  school,  that  there 
be  unity  of  thought  and  work  in  order  to  realize  the  high- 
est success,  and  such  a  state  of  things  can  only  be  realized 
by  a  frequent  conference  of  the  principal  or  superintendent 
with  his  teachers.  They  must  understand  each  other  per- 
fectly and  work  in  harmony. 


EDWARD  AUSTIN  SHELDON  113 

Discipline  was  one  of  the  subjects  frequently  discussed. 
From  my  present  standpoint,  I  now  seem  to  myself  to 
have  been  what  might  be  termed  a  straight,  rigid  discipli- 
narian, although  not  so  considered  at  the  time.  Theore- 
tically I  was  not,  but  practically  I  was. 

I  realize  that  I  have  grown  away  from  many  things  that 
I  now  condemn.  In  no  one  direction  is  this  so  evident  to 
me  as  in  the  matter  of  discipline.  My  tendency  was  to 
restrain  the  activities  and  impulses  of  children,  while  now 
I  would  encourage  and  cultivate  them  by  giving  them 
proper  direction.  My  influence  was  then  toward  repres- 
sion, but  now  I  would  give  the  greatest  liberty  possible. 
Repression  tends  to  stultify  and  deaden  the  activities  of 
the  soul;  freedom  tends  to  give  growth  and  vigor.  That 
work  is  of  most  value  to  the  pupil  which  is  voluntary, 
which  is  done  without  restraint  or  compulsion.  That  teacher 
who  has  to  resort  to  forceful  methods  to  secure  order  or 
study  is  of  very  little  value.  The  best  work  is  done  where 
there  is  a  warm,  sympathetic  relation  between  teacher  and 
pupils.  The  children  are  drawn  into  right  doing,  not 
driven.  There  is  a  vast  difference  in  the  value  of  the  two 
processes. 

I  question  very  seriously  the  wisdom  of  our  compulsory 
education  laws.  As  a  place  of  confinement,  the  school 
may  be  good,  in  that  it  keeps  the  children  off  the  street 
and  away  from  worse  places,  but  a  very  large  discount  is 
deducted  from  the  value  of  the  education  gained  under 
such  conditions.  As  a  rule,  we  attribute  too  high  im- 
portance to  our  compulsory  laws  as  a  means  of  educating 
the  people.  Freedom  here,  as  everywhere,  is  essential  to 
the  best  results.     In  our  schools,  direct  interest  must  lie 


114  AUTOBIOGRAPHY 

at  the  foundation,  of  all  true  educational  success.  If  you 
cannot  draw  a  pupil  to  school  by  the  interest  he  feels  in 
the  work,  it  is  very  questionable  whether  you  will  benefit 
him  very  much  by  driving  him.  The  whole  tendency  of 
such  a  process  is  to  disgust  him  by  the  driving. 

For  ten  years  I  was  sent  to  school  against  my  wishes.  I 
am  not  conscious  that  I  derived  any  good  from  it,  and  I  am 
sure  that  I  got  very  much  that  was  evil.  I  believe  it  would 
have  been  better  for  me  if  my  father  had  listened  to  my 
wishes  and  allowed  me  to  stay  at  home  and  work  on  the 
farm.  I  would  surely  have  gotten  some  good  out  of  the 
work,  for  in  this  there  is  genuine  education. 

From  the  very  first  I  emphasized  moral  training,  and 
had  a  course  of  formal  lessons  arranged  in  this,  the  same 
as  in  other  subjects.  The  teacher  was  not  to  depend  on 
these  formal  lessons  alone,  but  to  seize  every  occurrence 
on  the  school  grounds  and  in  the  school,  and  treat  it  as 
an  object  lesson.  Much  must  also  be  done  in  an  indirect 
way  in  the  life,  manner  and  work  of  the  teacher.  For  the 
'formal  work  we  used  pictures,  books  and  every-day  inci- 
dents. As  time  went  on,  the  formal  work  dropped  out, 
and  the  indirect  influences  were  more  and  more  emphasized. 

In  those  early  days  I  attached  great  importance  to  writ- 
ten examinations.  The  last  month  of  each  year  was  de- 
voted to  them  exclusively.  They  were  designed  as  a  re- 
view covering  all  the  work  done  for  the  year  as  a  test  of 
its  thoroughness.  I  personally  prepared  the  questions  for 
every  grade.  I  marked  the  answer  to  every  question,  keep- 
ing a  personal  account  with  each  pupil  and  teacher.  The 
results  were  all  tabulated  and  printed  in  the  annual  re- 
ports of  the  board  and  sometimes  in  the  daily  papers.     In 


EDWARD  AUSTIN  SHELDON  115 

this  way  I  kept  up  a  high  pressure  on  the  schools.  The 
rivalry  and  competition  were  something  tremendous.  It 
took  me  a  long  time  to  learn  that  there  was  a  better  way, 
but  at  last  the  lesson  was  learned.  I  carried  a  straight- 
jacket  system  of  close  classification  to  its  highest  point 
of  perfection,  accompanied  by  a  course  of  study  as  pre- 
cise, definite  and  exacting  as  it  is  possible  to  make,  tested 
by  complete  and  exhaustive  examinations  which  left  no 
room  for  doubt  as  to  the  thoroughness  of  the  work  done. 
I  have  good  reason  for  believing  that  I  had  organized  and 
perfected  the  most  complete  educational  machine  that  was 
ever  constructed.  By  looking  at  my  watch,  I  could  tell 
exactly  what  every  teacher  in  the  city  was  doing. 

At  the  end  of  the  year  the  classes  were  passed  up  from 
grade  to  grade  as  result  of  the  examinations.  All  that 
were  passed  from  one  group  to  another,  as  from  Primary 
to  Junior,  from  Junior  to  Senior,  or  from  Senior  to  the 
High  School,  received  certificates  signed  by  the  president 
and  secretary  of  the  board.  They  were,  to  all  intents 
and  purposes,  diplomas,  to  which  the  children  attached 
great  importance. 

In  August,  1854,  the  State  Teachers'  Association  had  one 
of  its  annual  sessions  in  Oswego.  This  was  a  new  experi- 
ence for  the  town.  Every  hotel  and  private  house  was 
crowded  to  its  capacity.  This  was  an  introduction  of  the 
educational  fraternity  to  Oswego,  and  an  introduction  of 
Oswego  to  the  educational  men  of  the  State.  We  were 
better  known  after  this  meeting  and  the  schools  had  grown 
into  the  confidence  of  the  people. 


CHAPTER  XX 

THE    MACHINE   FOUND    WANTING 
ADVENT  OF  THE  "OBJECTIVE  SYSTEM":   1859 

Notwithstanding  all  perfection  of  organization,  and 
I  think  it  would  be  very  difficult  to  find  anything  more 
complete,  there  was  something  wanting  to  give  life,  spirit 
I  may  say,  soul  to  the  school  system.  As  a  machine  it  was 
perfect,  but  it  lacked  vitality.  It  was  not  a  living  organism. 
This  I  felt  strongly.  But  exactly  how  to  go  to  work  to 
remedy  the  defect  I  did  not  know.  I  realized  that  our 
work  was  too  formal,  too  much  of  a  memorizing  process. 
We  wanted  something  that  would  wake  up  the  pupils,  set 
them  to  thinking,  observing,  reasoning. 

About  this  time  (1859)  the  superintendent  of  schools 
in  Elmira,  Rev.  Mr.  Scofield,  came  to  see  me  and  spend 
a  day  or  two  in  one  of  our  schools.  I  freely  expressed  to 
him  my  dissatisfaction,  and  something  of  the  way  in  which 
it  seemed  to  me  the  work  of  the  schools  might  be  im- 
proved. It  must  be  more  objective.  But  there  were  no 
facilities  for  carrying  on  such  work.  For  this  purpose 
we  wanted  collections  of  objects  of  all  sorts,  illustrations 
of  every  kind.  We  wanted  more  reading  matter,  and  that 
which  was  better  adapted  to  the  ages  of  the  children;  we 
wanted  charts  of  color  and  form,  natural  history,  pictures, 
objects  for  teaching  number,  etc. 

I  found  him  fully  in  sympathy  with  my  ideas,  and  we 

116 


EDWARD  AUSTIN  SHELDON  117 

then  and  there  resolved  to  make  a  beginning  in  the  prepa- 
ration of  the  facilities  so  much  needed.  He  agreed  to 
prepare  a  set  of  color  charts  and  cards  accompanied  by  a 
manual  of  directions  to  teachers,  and  I  was  to  prepare  a 
set  of  reading  charts  and  cards  with  a  book  to  accompany 
the  same. 

This  was  in  September,  1859.  A  month  later,  in  pur- 
suance of  the  plan  I  had  adopted  at  the  time  of  my  first 
'entering  upon  my  duties  as  superintendent  of  schools — 
to  visit  one  or  more  towns  having  a  reputation  for  good 
schools —  I  went  on  a  tour  of  inspection  to  the  schools  of 
Toronto,  Ontario.  To  my  astonishment  I  found  here  very 
(many  of  the  facilities  I  had  been  wishing  for.,  Dr.  Ryerson, 
then  Minister  of  Education  for  Ontario,  had  been  spending 
a  year  or  two  abroad,  making  a  collection  of  all  sorts  of 
educational  tools  and  facilities  from  all  parts  of  the  world. 
Here  I  found,  greatly  to  my  surprise,  what  I  did  not  know 
existed  anywhere — collections  of  objects,  pictures,  charts 
of  colors,  form,  reading  charts,  books  for  teachers,  giving 
full  directions  as  to  the  use  of  this  material.  These  were 
mostly  the  products  of  the  Home  and  Colonial  Training 
Institution,  London. 

I  invested  three  hundred  dollars  in  these  pictures,  ob- 
jects and  books,  and  hastened  home  a  happier  man  than  I 
went.  I  was  not  long  in  making  out  a  new  course  of  study 
for  my  Primary  schools,  introducing  a  complete  course  of 
objective  work,  employing  the  material  brought  from 
Toronto.  This  was  submitted  to  the  board,  met  with  their 
approval,  and  was  put  in  operation  in  the  lowest  grade 
of  the  Primary  schools  the  following  term. 

A  new  era  had  come  to  our  public  schools.     Important 


ii8  AUTOBIOGRAPHY 

changes  were  being  inaugurated  that  were  destined  to  revo- 
lutionize methods  of  teaching  not  only  in  Oswego,  but  in 
the  whole  country. 

Illustrative  of  the  above  brief  sketch,  vfe  quote  the   following 
extracts. — Ed. 

From  Seventh  Annual  Report  of  Board  of  Education, 
Oswego,  N.Y.,  Year  Ending  March  31,   i8<o.      (C>~^ 

COURSE  OF  STUDY 

There  has,  for  some  time,  been  felt  a  necessity  for  a 
change,  or  at  least  some  modification,  of  the  programme  of 
studies  in  our  Primary  Schools.  There  has  been  too  much 
teaching  by  formulas,  and  not  enough  by  oral  and  collateral 
instruction.  We  are  quite  too  apt,  in  the  education  of 
children,  to  "sail  over  their  heads";  to  present  subjects 
that  are  quite  beyond  their  comprehension,  or  in  a  manner 
which  fails  to  leave  in  the  mind  of  the  learner  a  clear 
perception  of  the  truths  inculcated.  How  to  get  out  of 
the  rut  into  which  we  had  fallen  seemed  difficult  to  tell. 
By  means  of  moral  and  object  lessons,  teachers  had  en- 
deavored to  awaken  new  interest  and  break  up,  in  some 
measure,  the  old  routine  of  study  and  recitation.  These 
exercises  were,  however,  without  much  system  or  order, 
and  with  but  little  idea  of  what  was  to  be  accomplished  by 
them,  and  no  satisfactory  results  were  obtained.  In  every 
exercise  it  is  of  the  highest  importance  that  there  should 
be  some  definite  aim  and  purpose  on  the  part  of  the  teacher, 
and  that  she  should  work  with  reference  to  obtaining  cer- 
tain results.  We  have  felt  the  need  of  proper  text  books 
or  manuals,  as  guides  for  the  teacher  in  oral  instruction. 
This  want  has  been,  in  some  good  degree,  met  in  the  pub- 
lications of  the  "Home  and  Colonial  Infant  and  Juvenile 
School  Society,"  of  London.  This  society  was  established 
in  the  year  1836.  The  object  with  the  founders  of  the 
society  was  to  present  an  improved  system  of  primary  in- 


EDWARD  AUSTIN  SHELDON  119 

struction  in  actual  operation,  and  by  means  of  model 
schools,  give  students  in  training  an  opportunity  of  prac- 
ticing the  improved  system,  and  thoroughly  prepare  them 
for  the  work  of  infant  school  teachers.  Through  the  rec- 
ommendation of  the  committee  of  the  society,  these  teach- 
ers are  sent  into  different  parts  of  the  kingdom,  as  ap- 
plications are  made  for  them,  to  engage  in  the  work  of 
primary  instruction.  Already,  upwards  of  2,800  teachers, 
for  home,  colonial  and  foreign  service,  have  received  the 
benefit  of  this  institution.  The  system  is  rapidly  gaining 
favor,  and  the  demand  for  teachers  trained  at  their  schools 
is  beyond  their  ability  fully  to  supply. 

The  system  is  founded  on  the  principle,  "That,  as  the 
different  faculties  of  children  are  developed  at  different 
periods,  care  should  be  taken  to  adapt  their  lessons  to  the 
state  of  their  minds,  in  order  that  all  the  factdties  may  be 
called  out  in  right  order. 

"That  the  education  of  the  mind  must  begin  when  the 
exercise  of  the  mind  begins,  and  should  follozv  precisely, 
both  in  degree  and  amount,  the  natural  order  of  its  dez'elop- 
ment, 

"That  education  consists,  not  in  the  amount  zvhich  you 
can  put  into  the  mind  from  without,  but  in  the  amount 
which  it  can  gain  from  its  own  development  and  exercise 
from  within." 

.  It  is  claimed  by  the  authors  of  this  system,  that 
among  the  first  developed  in  the  child,  are  the  perceptive 
faculties,  or  those  faculties  by  which  we  gain  a  knowledge 
of  things  all  around  us,  in  the  external  world  through  the 
senses,  and  the  conceptive  faculties,  or  those  faculties  by 
which  we  are  enabled  to  recall  images  once  made  upon 
the  mind.  Later,  come  memory,  imagination,  judgment,  and 
the  reasoning  faculties.  In  accordance  with  this  view  they 
begin  by  educating  the  senses,  by  means  of  lessons  on  form, 
color,  size,  weight,  objects,  number,  place,  etc.,  which,  with 
the  various  exercises  connected  therewith,  are  designed  to 


I20  AUTOBIOGRAPHY 

cultivate  the  conceptive,  as  well  as  the  perceptive  faculties. 
That  the  senses  are  capable  of  a  high  degree  of  cultivation 
is  evident  from  the  fact  that  where  one  sense  is  lost,  it  is 
greatly  compensated  for  by  the  quickened  and  increased 
power  of  another     . 

Our  aim  is  so  to  vary  the  exercises,  as  never  to  weary 
the  children,  but  always  to  keep  up  a  pleasant,  animated 
and  cheerful  state  of  mind.  For  this  purpose  each  lesson 
is  made  short,  but  the  slightest  degree  of  activity  is  en- 
couraged; they  do  not  so  frequently  recur  as  to  tend  to 
wear  out  the  interest,  but  to  keep  it  ever  fresh  and  lively. 
Especial  care  is  taken  to  meet  and  provide  for  the  physical 
demands  of  the  children,  by  means  of  frequent  change 
of  classes,  gymnastics  and  recesses.  Children  of  the  ages 
of  those  found  in  our  primary  schools  should  not  be  kept 
in  any  one  position  over  thirty  minutes  at  a  time.  Their 
very  being  demands  frequent  change  and  activity  of  body. 
When  left  unconfined  and  free  to  act  out  the  impulses 
of  their  being,  they  are  ever  in  motion ;  all  life  and  activity. 
The  proper  growth  and  development  of  muscle  and  tissue 
absolutely  demand  this.  This,  then,  points  to  an  unmis- 
takable law  of  nature,  that  great  teacher  of  teachers,  whose 
rules  and  regulations  bear  no  marks  of  imperfection,  and 
the  slightest  violation  of  any  of  which  carries  with  it 
its  own  penalty. 

As  in  the  transplanting  of  the  tree  from  the  nursery  to 
the  orchard,  its  continued  life  and  unchecked  growth  de- 
mand that  there  should  be  as  little  change  of  circum- 
stances, as  to  climate,  soil  and  position,  as  possible ;  so  in 
the  transfer  of  the  child  from  the  nursery  to  the  school- 
room, he  should  be  led  to  feel  the  change  as  little  as  possible. 
Hence  we  begin  with 

CONVERSATIONAL   EXERCISES. 

In  which  home  interests  of  every  description,  the  toys  and 
pets,  all  the  little  treasures  of  home,  the  plays,  the  em- 


EDWARD  AUSTIN  SHELDON  121 

ployments  of  mother,  father,  brother  or  sister,  things  seen 
on  the  way  to  and  from  school,  objects  familiar  to  them, 
are  subjects  of  conversation. 

The  teacher  must  begin  at  a  point  where  the  child  feels 
an  interest,  and  that  which  has  ever  been  in  the  line  of  his 
home  education.  He  must  be  made  at  once  to  feel  that  he 
is  still  at  home ;  that  he  has  only  changed  rooms  and  teach- 
ers. Encourage  the  little  girls  to  bring  their  dolls,  their 
tea  sets,  their  pets,  their  little  books  and  toys,  and  the 
little  boys  the  companions  of  their  sports  and  home  pleas- 
ures. These,  and  such  like  topics,  in  which  the  children 
have  been  wont  to  feel  a  deep  interest,  should  be  the  sub- 
jects of  many  familiar,  pleasant  little  chats. 

We  feel  in  no  haste  to  have  them  say  their  ABC.  Our 
first  aim  is  to  acclimate  them  to  the  school-room — make 
them  feel  at  home  and  free  to  express  their  simple  thoughts. 

It  is  important  for  the  teacher  to  make  them  feel  that 
she  sympathizes  with  them  in  all  their  joys  and  sports ;  and 
when  once  this  current  of  sympathy  is  unquestionably  es- 
tablished, the  way  is  open  and  clear  for  the  teacher  to  form 
and  mould  the  plastic  mind  to  her  own  liking.  These  exer- 
cises are  continued  for  the  first  few  weeks  of  the  child's 
school  life,  before  he  is  put  to 

READING. 

The  children  first  begin  by  reading  words,  without  spell- 
ing, as  printed  on  the  board  by  the  teacher.  At  first,  they 
only  learn  the  names  of  animals,  or  objects,  or  actions,  per- 
fectly familiar  with  them,  and,  as  far  as  possible,  these  ob- 
jects or  pictures  of  them,  should  be  presented  to  the  chil- 
dren and  made  subjects  of  familiar  conversation,  that  they 
may  become  interested  in  them  before  the  words  are  put 
upon  the  board.  When  they  begin  to  spell,  it  is  by  the 
sounds  or  powers  of  the  letters,  and  not  by  their  names. 
The  names  of  the  letters  are  learned  in  connection  with  the 
lessons  on  form.  The  first  term  is  devoted  to  conversa- 
tional exercises,  and  learning  words  on  the  board,  and  the 


122  AUTOBIOGRAPHY 

next  two  terms  to  the  Progressive  Primer,  and  spelling  by 
the  sounds  of  the  letters.  The  first  term  of  the  second  year 
they  begin  to  spell  by  the  names  of  the  letters. 

PHYSICAL   ACTIONS    AND    EMPLOYMENTS 

The  object  of  this  exercise  is  to  cultivate,  in  children, 
the  habit  of  accurate  observation  on  what  they  see  done; 
make  them  imitate  and  describe  actions  performed  before 
thenL  With  beginners,  these  exercises  must  be  of  a  very 
simple  character.  As  they  advance,  their  "observation  takes 
a  wider  range."  They  are  required  to  observe  actions  of 
a  more  complicated  character;  to  perform  actions  as  di- 
rected, to  name  and  describe  actions  done  in  their  presence, 
or  which  they  may  have  previously  observed.  Accuracy  of 
expression  is  particularly  attended  to  at  this  step.  Among 
others,  a  very  pretty  exercise  with  laths  may  be  had,  by 
arranging  them  in  certain  forms,  and  then  requiring  the 
children  to  reproduce  them  after  the  laths  are  removed, 
or  require  them  to  make  like  forms  upon  the  board  or  on 
their  slates.  Or,  as  a  variety,  the  teacher  may  make  cer- 
tain forms  on  the  board,  and  the  children  imitate  them 
with  the  laths.  These  exercises,  however,  more  properly 
belong  to 

LESSONS  ON  FORM. 

For  the  first  exercises  on  form  the  teacher  has  a  set  of 
twenty,  or  more,  regular  geometrical  forms,  cut  out  of 
wood  for  the  purpose,  as  the  square,  triangle,  parallalogram, 
rhomboid,  circle,  etc.,  two  of  each  kind,  with  a  large 
card  on  which  these  forms  are  represented.  The  teacher 
holds  up  a  wooden  form,  and  asks  the  pupils  to  select  one 
like  it  from  those  on  the  table,  and  a  vote  of  the  class 
is  taken  to  decide  whether  they  regard  it  as  correct;  thus 
exercising  the  observation  of  the  whole  class  at  the  same 
time.  If  incorrect,  let  another  make  the  effort,  until  a 
correct  selection  is  made.  This  exercise  may  be  varied 
by  holding  up  a  form,  and  asking  a  pupil  to  point  to  a  like 


EDWARD  AUSTIN  SHELDON  123 

form  on  the  card ;  or,  pointing  to  a  form  on  the  card,  ask 
'for  the  selection  of  a  like  form  from  the  table,  always 
testing  the  sense  of  the  class  as  to  the  correctness  of  the 
selection. 

The  same  exercises  are  had  with  both  capital  and  small 
letters,  and  Roman  numerals.  These  exercises  are  among 
the  most  simple  of  those  given  under  this  head,  and  are 
had  with  the  younger  classes ;  a  little  farther  on,  they  are 
taught  the  names  of  these  forms,  including  letters  and 
numerals.  With  these  forms  are  lessons  to  develop  the 
idea  of  sides,  corners  and  angles. 

Under  this  head  come  lessons  on  length,  breadth,  depth 
and  surface.  Various  geometrical  solids  are  introduced, 
and  their  parts  considered. 

(Here  follows  a  description  of  various  exercises  for  training 
the  sense  of  Size.  Next  come  accounts  of  lessons  on  Colors ;  on 
Pictures  of  Common  Objects  (arousing  memory  and  original  oral 
expressions);  the  Human  Body;  Weight;  Place  (introductory  to 
Geography)  ;  Number: — all  based  on  observation  of  objects  or  pic- 
tures brought  before  the  pupils. 

To  these  are  added  systematic  "Lessons  on  Objects,"  on  Animals 
and  Plants.  Drawing  is  assigned  a  prominent  position,  a  long  plea 
for  its  usefulness  occurring  in  this  Report. — Ed.) 


CHAPTER  XXI 

LIFE    OUTSIDE    THE    SCHOOL 

Just  at  this  point  I  realize  that  I  am  considering  only 
that  part  of  my  life  which  related  to  my  school  work.  A 
good  friend  of  mine  once  said  to  me:  "You  eat,  drink  and 
sleep  schools."  In  this  there  is  a  strong  vein  of  truth. 
It  is  true  that  I  have  lived  largely  for  the  schools.  My  life 
'has  been  emphatically  that  of  a  School  Man.  I  have  given 
to  the  schools  my  best  thoughts  and  energies.  My  educa- 
tional ideas  and  plans  have  been  largely  my  own.  I  do 
not  mean  by  this  that  I  was  the  first  to  think  and  plan.  I 
can  claim  very  little  that  I  have  thought  and  planned  as 
new.  Other  men  had  thought  and  planned  everything  be- 
fore me.  Pestalozzi  covered  the  whole  field  of  educational 
reform  long  before  my  day,  but  I  had  never  heard  of 
Pestalozzi.  I  had  read  very  little  and  knew  nothing  of 
educational  theories  and  principles.  My  knowledge  of 
educational  principles  was  largely  intuitive.  I  do  not 
speak  this  in  a  boastful  way,  but  rather  in  the  spirit  of 
humility.  What  little  of  educational  knowledge  I  may  have 
possessed  was  given  to  me.  My  life  has  been  too  full  of 
pressing  activities  to  allow  much  reading  or  study.  I  have 
reflected  much,  but  it  has  all  been  in  the  midst  of  the 
most  active  work.  Yet  much  as  I  have  given  to  the 
schools,  they  have  not  wholly  monopolized  my  time  and 
thoughts. 

124 


EDWARD  AUSTIN  SHELDON  125 

As  I  have  already  shown,  I  have  decidedly  rural  tastes 
and  propensities.  This  was  clearly  indicated  by  my  horti- 
cultural employments  and  subsequent  employment  in  the 
nursery  business.  These  early  loves,  fostered  while  yet 
a  boy  on  the  farm  never  left  me.  This  proclivity  may  have 
been  good  for  me  in  that  it  gave  me  diversion  and  recrea- 
tion, which,  no  doubt,  were  essential  to  me  in  the  more 
serious  work  of  life.  At  the  same  time  it  brought  with  it 
dangers  that  needed  to  be  guarded  against.  My  tendency 
was  to  throw  my  whole  thought  and  life  into  whatever  I 
put  my  hand  to  do.  This  led  to  the  temptation  of  giving 
too  much  time  and  attention  to  that  which  had  no  direct 
bearing  on  my  life-work,  and  which  duty  required  should 
be  kept  always  subservient  to  it.  I  now  realize  that,  at 
times,  I  yielded  too  much  to  this  love  for  rural  pursuits 
and  gave  them  more  of  my  time  and  attention  than  I  ought 
to  have  given.  Another  unfortunate  attendant  on  this  pro- 
pensity was  a  temptation  to  spend  money  where  it  never 
brought  any  returns.  It  often  led  me  into  debt  and  de- 
voured my  income. 

It  will  be  remembered  that  in  selling  to  Mr.  Allen  my 
interest  in  the  Oswego  nurseries,  I  took  in  pay  city  lots, 
located  near  the  nurseries.  Some  of  these  I  sold,  taking 
contracts  with  small  annual  payments.  The  others  I  ex- 
changed for  a  wood-lot  out  in  the  country  ten  or  twelve 
miles  away,  in  the  town  of  Sterling,  which  in  turn  I  ex- 
changed later  for  a  small  white  house  on  West  Sixth 
Street,  near  Oneida.  It  was  in  the  fall  of  1854  that  this 
exchange  of  property  was  made,  and  the  following  spring 
we  went  into  our  own  house  to  live.  It  was  small  and  un- 
pretentious, but  we  lived  in  it  very  comfortably,  and  I  may 


126  AUTOBIOGRAPHY 

add,  happily — although  that  need  hardly  be  said,  for  we 
were  always  happy.  We  never  knew  any  other  conditions. 
Here  Charles  and  Lizzie  were  born,  the  former  on  August 
7,  1855,  and  the  latter  April  12,  1857. 

At  one  time  our  little  home  came  very  near  being  buried 
in  the  snow.  It  was  in  the  winter  of  1853.  It  was  late  one 
Saturday  night,  after  my  duties  as  librarian  were  over 
and  I  had  closed  my  office,  that  I  started  for  home  in  a 
heavy  snowstorm.  I  went  up  Oneida  Street,  and  after 
passing  the  M.  E.  Church  I  got  away  from  the  sidewalk 
and  into  a  vacant  lot,  where  now  stands  the  M.  E.  par- 
sonage, just  back  of  the  church.  I  saw  only  the  street 
lamps  on  every  side  of  me  and  for  a  moment  was  lost,  not 
knowing  which  way  to  go.  I  soon  got  my  bearings  and 
found  my  way  to  my  gate,  or,  at  least,  to  the  place  where 
I  thought  it  ought  to  be.  No  gate  was  to  be  seen,  how- 
ever, and  on  putting  out  my  hands  to  climb  over  what 
appeared  to  be  a  bank  of  snow  a  head  with  two  horns 
came  up  into  the  air  before  me,  loaded  with  snow.  It 
appeared  that  a  cow  had  strayed  and  taken  her  stand  at 
my  gate,  where  the  heavy  snow  had  completely  buried  her. 
As  I  put  my  hands  on  her  rump  she  lifted  her  horns,  and 
in  so  doing  made  a  very  strange  impression  on  her  in- 
'truder.  I,  however,  soon  recovered  my  composure,  and 
having  assured  myself  that  it  was  nothing  but  a  cow,  pro- 
ceeded to  get  her  out,  and  thus  gained  free  access  to  my 
gate  and  the  house. 

This  proved  to  be  the  severest  snowstorm  that  has  been 
known  in  Oswego  since  that  day.  The  storm  continued 
for  three  days  with  unabated  fury,  filling  the  streets  with 
snow  and  obstructing  all  travel.     Practically  all  business 


EDWARD  AUSTIN  SHELDON  127 

was  suspended.  The  schools  were  closed.  Neither  teach- 
ers nor  pupils  could  get  to  them.  I  did  not,  in  fact,  could 
not,  leave  my  house  for  three  days.  I  got  out  of  the  cham- 
ber window  into  a  plum  three  that  stood  near,  and  shoveled 
off  the  snow  to  prevent  the  accumulating  weight  of  it 
from  breaking  the  tree  to  pieces.  At  the  end  of  three  days 
I  went  out  the  back  door,  and  coming  around  to  the  front 
gate  dug  a  tunnel  to  the  front  door,  and  through  this 
tunnel  we  passed  out  and  in  for  many  days.  At  this  time 
I  saw  some  of  the  smaller  houses  literally  buried  in  the 
snow,  with  hardly  more  than  a  chimney  to  show  the  exist- 
ence of  a  house. 

One  Sunday  the  snow  came  down  abundantly  in  large 
^nd  feathery  flakes  during  all  the  morning.  It  lay  like 
'down  on  the  ground,  several  inches  deep.  Soon  after 
"dinner  a  slight  wind  sprang  up  and  the  snow  began  to 
move.  I  had  an  appointment  every  Sunday  afternoon  at 
the  Orphan  Asylum,  having  charge  of  the  orphan  Sunday 
School.  I  hesitated  a  little,  but  decided  to  go,  as  it  was 
not  my  custom  to  stop  for  any  ordinary  storm.  The  wind 
continued  to  increase  in  force  during  my  stay  in  the 
Sunday  School  for  an  hour  and  a  half,  and  when  I  came 
out  the  air  was  literally  filled  with  snow.  The  front  fence 
was  buried.  I  managed  to  plant  my  feet  on  the  top  board 
and  gave  a  leap  into  the  street,  but  sank  in  the  snow  to 
Vny  neck.  By  lying  down  and  crawling  I  managed  to  ex- 
tricate myself  and  stood  upright  in  the  middle  of  the 
street.  As  I  looked  about  me  I  could  not  see  a  building 
in  any  direction,  even  the  asylum  was  hidden  from  my 
view.  In  one  direction  lay  the  open  country  and  in  the 
other  the  city. 


128  AUTOBIOGRAPHY 

Being  somewhat  dazed  by  the  snow,  instead  of  going 
toward  the  town,  as  I  could  see  no  landmarks  of  any  kind, 
I  started  out  into  the  open  fields.  After  going  some  dis- 
tance and  seeing  no  house,  I  began  to  suspect  that  I  had 
taken  the  wrong  direction  and  turned  about  to  retrace  my 
steps.  The  situation  began  to  be  somewhat  serious.  I 
had  already  become  somewhat  exhausted  by  my  exertions. 
Soon,  however,  I  came  to  houses,  but  the  fences  were 
buried  and  it  was  difficult  to  keep  the  road.  In  one  man's 
dooryard  I  struggled  in  the  snow  for  many  minutes  and 
when,  at  last,  I  reached  home  I  was  completely  exhausted. 
I  had  been  literally  "lost  in  the  snow"  in  a  town  of  fifteen 
thousand  inhabitants.  Such  snowstorms,  however,  were 
not  frequent.  They  were  the  exception,  and  have  become 
more  and  more  rare  since  that  day. 


CHAPTER   XXII 

'  OUR   HOME 

It  is  good  for  anyone  to  have  a  home.  We  felt  it  to  be 
so.  Although  small,  it  was  our  home  and  we  enjoyed  it. 
I  am  happy  to  say  that  we  have  never  since  that  day  known 
what  it  is  to  be  without  one.  In  this  little  white  cottage 
we  experienced  all  that  a  home  can  give — health  and  sick- 
ness, joys  and  sorrows,  hopes  and  fears,  the  usual  accom- 
paniments of  the  home,  were  ours.  Health,  joy  and  hope 
so  greatly  predominated,  however,  that  they  gave  a  bright 
coloring  to  the  whole  of  life. 

I  had  very  little  opportunity  here  for  gratifying  my 
taste  for  horticulture.  We  had  a  grape-vine  or  two  and 
a  few  garden  things  that  flourished.  But  I  wanted  more 
room — nothing  but  a  few  broad  acres  would  satisfy  me. 
An  opportunity  to  gratify  this  desire  presented  itself  in 
the  autumn  of  '56,  when  I  purchased  eight  acres  of  wood- 
land on  the  shore  of  Lake  Ontario.  It  was  my  ideal  site 
for  a  home.  Here  was  a  great  variety  of  trees  and  flowers. 
It  was  to  this  lakeside  grove  that  I  used  to  bring  my  classes 
in  botany  when  I  had  the  private  school  in  the  United 
States  Hotel.  This  was  the  wood  nearest  to  the  city,  and 
was  always  a  favorite  resort  for  classes  in  botany  and 
natural  history.  The  woods,  the  lake  and  the  open  country 
around  were  very  attractive  to  me,  and  the  temptation  to 
purchase  and  make  our  home  in  this  lovely  spot  was  more 

129 


I30  AUTOBIOGRAPHY 

than  I  could  resist.  I  could  buy  it  with  a  promise  to  pay, 
and  my  natural  hopefulness  led  me  to  believe  that  sometime 
or  somehow  I  could  pay  for  it.  At  first  I  bought  but  four 
acres,  promising  to  pay  twelve  hundred  dollars.  A  little 
later  I  added  four  more,  promising  to  pay  two  thousand 
dollars.  I  borrowed  money  of  my  brother  and  prepared  to 
build  a  house.  It  seems  to  me  that  the  actual  occupation 
has  hardly  given  me  more  pleasure  than  these  preparations. 
I  have  sometimes  thought  the  day  I  took  my  axe  and  went 
into  the  woods  for  the  purpose  of  laying  out  my  drive  was 
about  the  happiest  one  of  my  whole  life.  I  never  felt 
myself  alone  in  the  woods.  To  me  the  presence  of  trees  is 
real  company.  They  have  real  voices  and  give  me  a  sense 
of  genuine  spiritual  presence.  Each  tree  has  its  own  per- 
sonality, a  character  all  its  own. 

I  blazed  the  trees  I  desired  to  have  cut  to  clear  the  way 
for  the  drive,  and  sent  a  man  to  cut  them.  Contrary 
to  instructions,  he  cut  a  fine  thrifty  young  elm  near  the 
entrance.  This  was  a  great  grief  to  me.  I  could  not 
repair  the  loss,  and  so  grieved  on  for  a  long  time  over  the 
irreparable  loss,  and  I  mourned  for  it  as  for  a  friend  that 
had  gone  and  could  not  return.  I  had  another  experience 
of  a  different  sort  that  strongly  impressed  me.  When  I 
came  to  locate  my  house  I  found  the  stump  of  an  old 
hemlock  tree  that  had  been  turned  over  in  the  wind,  a  little 
in  my  way,  and  I  though  to  burn  it  up.  I  piled  brush  and 
rubbish  upon  it  and  kept  up  a  fire  all  one  day.  At  night 
I  found  I  had  merely  blackened  the  bark  on  the  outside.  I 
then  turned  it  back  to  its  place  and  allowed  it  to  stay,  locat- 
ing the  house  a  little  farther  to  the  south  than  I  had  in- 
tended.    The  stump  held  its  place  for  ten  years,  covered 


00 

> 


EDWARD  AUSTIN  SHELDON  131 

with  vines  and  ornamental  shrubs.  Such  was  the  respect 
I  paid  to  the  tenacity  of  the  old  stump. 

The  house  I  decided  to  build  was  somewhat  peculiar  in 
its  structure.  I  put  up  a  light  frame  and  embedded  it  in 
concrete.  This  made  a  very  warm  and  durable  house.  It 
was  built  in  the  fall  of  '57.  The  next  spring  we  moved 
into  our  new  quarters.  Here  we  were  destined  to  live  until 
removed  by  death.  Here  Anna  and  Laura  were  born,  and 
here  the  children  were  reared,  and  this  was  practically  the 
only  home  they  ever  knew.  Here  the  girls  were  all  married, 
and  here  three  of  the  grand-children  were  born. 

As  may  well  be  surmised,  the  associations  of  this  home 
became  greatly  endeared  to  us,  and  had  much  to  do  in  the 
formation  of  the  character  of  the  children.  The  house  was 
finished  off  by  slow  stages,  and  was  not  all  completed  until 
Mary  was  out  of  college  and  wanted  to  occupy  the  "long 
room"  with  her  friend.  Dr.  Lee.  This  large  front  room 
across  the  hall  from  the  parlors  had  been  intended  for  the 
library,  but  until  this  time  had  been  left  in  an  unfinished 
state  and  occupied  as  a  sort  of  lumber  and  store  room.  It 
was  now  finished  off,  and  in  the  course  of  time  was  de- 
voted to  its  original  purpose. 

Extract  from  a  letter  to  Sister  Dorliska. 

Oswego,  November  18,  1856. 
I  have  great  reason  to  bless  a  kind  Heavenly  Father 
for  many  rich  and  unmerited  blessings,  spiritual  and  tem- 
poral, which  he  has  bestowed  upon  me ;  and  among  the  rich- 
est of  them  all,  he  has  heard  my  prayer  in  opening  to  me 
a  wide  door  of  usefulness.  I  can  hardly  conceive  of  any 
position  to  which  he  could  have  called  me,  where  I  could 
have  more  power  for  doing  good  than  the  one  I  occupy, 


132  AUTOBIOGRAPHY 

and  it  is  my  constant  and  earnest  prayer  that  I  may  be 
fitted  for  all  its  duties,  and  eminently  useful  in  it.  I 
need  much  wisdom  and  grace,  great  patience  and  discretion 
— pray  with  and  for  me  that  I  may  be  abundantly  supplied 
with  them. 


CHAPTER  XXIII 

THE    OSWEGO    TRAINING    SCHOOL    FOR    PRIMARY    TEACHERS: 

1861 

I  HAVE  traced  very  briefly  the  progress  of  the  schools 
of  Oswego  from  the  time  of  their  organization  up  to  that 
of  my  visit  to  Toronto  and  the  issuing  of  my  new  course 
of  study. 

This  plan  embraced,  among  other  things,  a  course  of 
elementary  science  work,  or  what  is  now-a-days  termed 
"nature  study."  This  was  the  first  efifort,  so  far  as  I 
know,  to  introduce  systematic  objective  work  into  all 
subjects  and  through  all  grades  of  the  public  schools.  Any 
history  of  education  that  is  hereafter  written  must  give 
us  the  credit  for  this. 

At  the  outset  I  began  this  work  in  the  lowest,  or  first- 
year  grade.  I  gave  my  undivided  attention  to  this  grade 
for  the  first  year.  I  met  the  teachers  every  Saturday,  laid 
out  work  for  the  coming  week,  discussed  principles  and 
methods  with  them  and  then  gave  my  whole  time,  the 
following  week,  to  seeing  that  the  work  was  properly  car- 
ried out  in  their  rooms.  The  second  year  I  did  the  same 
thing   for  the  second   grade. 

I  found,  however,  before  long  that  I  was  preparing 
teachers  for  other  schools.  As  soon  as  they  were  well 
trained  into  their  work,  they  received  an  invitation  to  go 
elsewhere  at  salaries  in  advance  of  what  our  board  would 

133 


134  AUTOBIOGRAPHY 

give.  At  one  time,  nine  of  my  best  teachers  were  taken 
away  from  me.  This  was  very  discouraging,  as  it  thus 
became  necessary  for  me  to  be  continually  training  new 
teachers.  In  a  small  way  I  was  running  a  training  school. 
It  did  not  require  much  reflection  to.  convince  me  that  I 
was  undertaking  more  than  I  could  well  accomplish,  and 
I  proposed  to  the  board  that  we  should  establish  a  city 
training  school  for  the  training  of  primary  teachers.  To 
this  they  readily  assented,  as  the  proposition  seemed  a 
reasonable  one.  I  outlined  a  plan  for  such  a  school  which 
met  with  their  approval. 

The  plan  contemplated  taking  graduates  from  our  own 
and  other  high  schools,  or  persons  of  equal  scholastic  at- 
tainments and  giving  them  one  year  of  strictly  professional 
training.  One  half  of  the  time  was  to  be  given  to  a  dis- 
cussion of  educational  principles  and  their  application  to 
teaching  the  elementary  branches,  and  the  other  half  to 
teaching  under  criticism.  The  plan,  I  am  still  satisfied, 
viewing  from  this  distance  of  time,  was  as  good  as  could 
have  been  devised  under  the  conditions  that  existed. 

The  next  question  was,  who  should  be  the  teacher  of 
this'  Oswego  Primary  Teachers'  Training  School,  as  I  de- 
cided to  call  it.  This  was  a  more  difficult  question  to  de- 
cide than  the  creation  of  the  plan  for  such  a  school.  There 
was  no  one  in  the  country  who,  so  far  as  I  knew,  had 
the  necessary  ideas  and  experiences  for  the  running  of 
my  training  school.  No  such  school  existed  in  America, 
and  the  methods  of  instruction  were  quite  as  new  as  the 
design  of  the  school.  In  this  dilemma  I  decided  to  go 
abroad  'for  a  teacher.  In  London,  England,  was  the  Home 
and  Colonial  Training  Institution.     Although  organized  on 


EDWARD  AUSTIN  SHELDON  135 

a  different  plan  from  my  own,  it  was  training  teachers  on 
Pestalozzian  principles.  This  was  just  what  I  wanted  to 
do.  Some  of  the  books  procured  in  Canada  were  the  out- 
growth of  this  institution.  I  resolved  to  secure,  if  pos- 
sible, a  teacher  from  this  school. 

I  accordingly  opened  a  correspondence  with  its  secre- 
tary, to  ascertain  whether  such  a  teacher  could  be  ob- 
tained, and  on  what  conditions.  As  I  sat  writing  this 
letter,  Hon.  A.  C.  Mattoon  who  always  seconded  my  move- 
ments most  heartily  said  to  me :  "Tell  them  we  want  a  per- 
son who  can  introduce  these  methods  into  this  country." 

In  due  time  a  letter  came  in  answer  to  mine,  saying  that 
Miss  Margaret  E.  M.  Jones,  who  had  been  a  teacher  with 
them  for  eighteen  years,  had  consented  to  come  at  a  salary 
of  one  thousand  dollars  and  all  living  expenses.  This 
seemed  to  our  board  a  very  large  sum  to  pay,  and  they 
hesitated.  But  I  said  to  them:  "If  you  will  appoint  this 
woman,  I  will  guarantee  to  the  board  that  it  shall  not 
cost  the  city  one  cent,"  and  on  the  strength  of  this  they 
offered  the  resolution,  being  careful  to  put  into  it  my 
guarantee  that  "it  should  not  cost  the  city  one  cent." 

I  was  careful  to  keep  my  word  with  them,  and  showed 
them  at  the  end  of  the  year  that  Miss  Jones  had  not  only 
been  no  expense  to  them,  but  had  actually  put  into  the 
treasury  three  hundred  dollars  over  and  above  expenses. 
It  was  done  in  this  way.  In  the  first  place  I  charged  a 
tuition  of  fifty  dollars  to  all  persons  not  residents  of  Os- 
wego who  joined  the  class.  In  the  second  place  I  persuaded 
a  number  of  the  more  progressive  teachers  to  contribute 
one-half  of  their  salary  for  the  year,  in  view  of  the  bene- 
fit that  would  come  to  them  from  the  instructions  of  the 


136  AUTOBIOGRAPHY 

"London  Training  Teacher."  In  the  third  place,  by  con- 
verting one  of  the  schools  into  a  school  of  practice,  I  saved 
the  salary  of  one  teacher.  In  this  way  I  made  the  train- 
ing school  a  help  rather  than  a  hindrance  to  the  finances  of 
the  board. 

This  movement  was  going  on  in  the  spring  of  1861,  and 
in  May  the  school  was  opened  with  Miss  Jones  at  the 
head. 

The  arrival  of  Miss  Jones  was  quite  an  event.  Mr. 
Mattoon  and  I  went  to  the  train  to  meet  her.  We  stood 
on  the  platform  waiting  at  the  time  announced  by  her 
telegram.  As  no  one  left  the  cars  whom  we  could  call 
the  London  lady,  we  boarded  the  train,  but  to  our  astonish- 
ment we  found  no  one  but  an  unpromising  looking  woman 
with  a  weather-stained  face,  and  in  a  stooping  position, 
half  buried  in  boxes  and  bundles. 

We  could  not  entertain  the  thought  that  this  was  our 
importation  and  passed  her  by,  but  as  there  was  no  other 
person  in  the  car,  we  could  but  inquire  if  this  was  Miss 
Jones.  To  our  great  chagrin  she  proved  to  be  the  veritable 
Miss  Jones ;  but  between  Mr.  Mattoon  and  me,  we  managed 
to  review  her  and  her  bundles  and  get  her  onto  the  plat- 
form. Mr.  Mattoon  kindly  invited  her  to  his  home  until 
we  could  arrange  a  permanent  boarding  place  for  her. 

Miss  Jones  entered  at  once  upon  her  duties,  and  when 
she  was  fairly  over  the  efifects  of  her  sea  voyage  and 
travel,  and  the  skin  no  longer  peeled  from  her  face,  but 
was  restored  to  its  natural  color,  her  appearance  improved 
greatly;  and  as  time  went  on  it  became  very  evident  to 
all  that  we  had  the  services  of  no  ordinary  woman.     She 


EDWARD  AUSTIN  SHELDON  137 

proved  herself  to  be  all  that  was  represented  to  us,  and 
fully  equal  to  the  work  she  had  undertaken. 

The  school  was  opened  in  a  wooden  school  building  that 
stood  on  the  west  side  of  West  Fourth  Street,  near  Bridge 
Street,  about  half-way  between  the  First  M.  E.  Church  and 
the  First  Presbyterian  Church.  In  this  building  was  a 
primary  school  of  perhaps  two  hundred  children,  which 
constituted  the  practice  school.  There  was  also  a  junior 
school  in  the  same  building,  but  with  this  we  had  nothing 
to  do. 

In  the  regular  training  class  were  nine  pupils.  Miss 
Jones  met  her  class  for  special  instruction  and  direction 
in  a  small  cloak-room  off  from  the  school  of  practice.  The 
accommodations  were  very  limited,  and  so  was  the  class. 

For  the  purpose  of  giving  opportunity  to  attend  Miss 
Jones'  class,  to  those  teachers  who  cared  to  gain  a  knowl- 
edge of  the  "new  methods,"  the  schools  were  closed  at  an 
early  hour  in  the  afternoon.  At  3.30  she  met  these  teach- 
ers, in  connection  with  her  regular  class,  and  discussed 
general  principles  underlying  teaching,  and  their  applica- 
tions in  teaching  the  various  branches.  In  the  same  way 
she  met  them  every  Saturday  morning.  By  this  plan  all 
the  teachers  in  the  public  schools  who  were  interested  had 
the  opportunity  to  get  the  general  plan  and  scope  of  Miss 
Jones'  work.  Some  entered  into  it  at  once  with  enthusiasm. 
Others  looked  on  with  doubtful  minds  but  as  the  work 
progressed  they  caught  the  spirit  of  it  and  became  deeply 
linterested,  while  others  showed  a  total  indifference  to 
the  whole  plan,  and  a  small  number  were  active  in  their 
opposition.  Little  attention  was  given  to  the  indifferent  or 
the  opposers;  we  had  with  us  the  wide-awake,  progressive 


138  AUTOBIOGRAPHY 

teachers,  and  these  comprised  the  greater  number.  Among 
these  were  some  who  subsequently  made  their  influence 
strongly  felt  in  wide  educational  circles. 

In  addition  to  the  regular  school  of  practice,  we  had 
one  model  school,  used  exclusively  as  a  school  of  observa- 
tion, and  one  school  taught  successively  by  the  members 
of  the  training  class.  These  schools  were  in  the  Academy 
building.  This  was  the  first  Teachers'  Training  School 
ever  organized  in  America.  They  are  now  to  be  found  in 
nearly  every  populous  city,  but  I  have  yet  to  learn  that 
any  radical  improvement  has  been  made  on  the  "Oswego 
Training  School."* 

The  work  of  introducing  these  objective  methods  into 
the  successive  grades  in  the  public  schools  went  steadily 
on  under  the  constant  and  careful  supervision  of  the  super- 
intendent, and  very  commendable  progress  was  being 
made. 

At  the  end  of  the  year,  the  period  for  which  Miss  Jones 
was  employed,  she  indicated  her  intention  of  returning  to 
England.  She  was,  however,  induced  to  remain  until  the 
close  of  the  summer  term. 

It  was  at  this  time  that  the  question  arose  as  to  who 
should  be  principal  of  this  training  school  when  Miss  Jones 


*The  first  "Normal"  schools  in  America  were  established  in  Massachusetts 
• — one  at  Lexington  and  one  at  Rarre.  Mr.  Sheldon  claims  the  first  "Training" 
school.  He  refers  to  the  training  of  teachers  in  the  actual  practice  of  their 
profession,  which  was  not  included  in  the  work  of  the  earlier  "Normal"  schools. 
The  need  of  the  "Training"  school  was  recognized  and  acknowledged  by  lead- 
ing educational  men  of  the  day.  A  very  complete  and  interesting  thesis  on  the 
"Rise  and  Growth  of  the  Normal-School  Idea  in  the  U.  S.,"  by  Prof.  J.  P. 
Gordy,  constitutes  Circular  of  Information  No.  8,  1891,  from  the  Bureau  of 
Plducation,  Washington,  D.  C.  (It  can  be  obtained  free  on  application.) 
Gordy  says:  "The  history  of  the  Normal  School  at  Oswego,  N.  Y.,  constituted 
an  important  chapter,  not  only  in  the  history  of  training  teachers,  but  in  the 
history  of  the  public  schools  of  this  country."  He  presents  an  exhaustive 
history  of  the  school  and  its  influence,  and  a  description  of  its  work.  He 
further  points  out  its  secondary  influence,  as  the  parent  of  the  Worcester 
Normal  School. — Ed. 


EDWARD  AUSTIN  SHELDON  139 

sholud  leave.  Among  those  who  had  taken  an  active  in- 
terest in  the  work  was  Mr.  E.  D.  Weller,  principal  of 
Senior  School  No.  i.  He  was  a  graduate  of  the  Albany 
Normal  School,  and  had  proved  himself  an  intelligent,  effi- 
cient teacher.  I  proposed  to  the  board  that  he  be  made 
principal.  Mr.  Weller  hesitated  about  accepting  it,  being 
doubtful  as  to  the  final  outcome  of  the  experiment.  When 
Miss  Jones  heard  of  my  proposition  to  make  Mr.  Weller 
principal,  she  went  to  the  members  of  the  board  and 
stoutly  protested,  insisting  that  Mr.  Sheldon  should  be 
made  principal.  To  her  recommendation  the  board  listened 
rather  than  to  my  own,  and  I  was  thus  made  Miss  Jones' 
successor — a  position  to  which  I  did  not  aspire,  and  for 
which  I  seemed  to  myself  to  have  no  suitable  qualifications. 
I  yielded,  however,  to  the  urgent  solicitations  of  Miss 
Jones  and  the  board. 


CHAPTER  XXIV 

EXTRACTS   FROM    EIGHTH    ANNUAL   REPORT   OF    BOARD   OF 
EDUCATION,   OSWEGO,    N.    Y.,    1861 

.  Viewing  the  past  from  our  present  standpoint, 
it  seems  to  us  there  has  been  Httle  system  or  philosophic 
principle  involved  in  our  methods  of  teaching  in  this  coun- 
try. We  have  paid  little  regard  to  the  philosophy  of  the 
human  mind,  to  its  various  attributes,  the  order  of  their 
development  and  the  subjects  of  study,  and  modes  of  pre- 
senting them  to  the  different  states  and  stages  of  such  de- 
velopment. We  have  treated  the  mind  too  much  as  though 
it  was  composed  of  but  two  faculties,  the  memory  and 
reason ;  and  the  severity  with  which  these  were  taxed  was 
the  true  measure  of  success  in  mental  discipline.  In  prose- 
cuting this  idea,  it  would  sometimes  seem  as  though  we 
had  almost  ignored  the  understanding,  as  not  worthy  of 
being  taken  into  account,  or  misapprehended  its  real  power 
and  the  true  sources  of  its  development.  Here  we  have 
taken  quite  too  much  for  granted.  It  is  just  here  that 
the  most  fatal  mistake  is  liable  to  be  committed.  We  begin 
by  teaching  the  unknown  through  the  medium  of  things, 
or  their  symbols  or  representatives,  which  are  equally  un- 
known. 

We  require  the  child  to  repeat  the  tables  without  giving 
him  the  slightest  conception  as  to  the  character  of  these 
numbers,  or  what  they  represent.  He  says  six  times  six 
are  thirty-six,  six  times  seven  are  forty-two,  without  hav- 
ing first  formed  a  correct  and  definite  idea  as  to  how  much 
thirty-six  or  forty-two  really  are.  He  says  nine  is  con- 
tained in  sixty-three  seven  times,  in  eighty-one  nine  times, 

140 


o 


w 

H 


5; 

O 

H 


in 
o 

o 
o 


5< 


aq 


EDWARD  AUSTIN  SHELDON  141 

but  has  no  just  idea  of  the  process  herein  involved.  He 
repeats  three  feet  make  one  yard,  twenty-five  pounds  one 
quarter,  three  miles  one  league,  without  having  been  pre- 
viously taught  what  a  foot,  a  pound  and  a  mile  are.  We 
are  continually  describing  objects  by  their  position,  form, 
size,  weight,  color  and  number,  without  stopping  to  con- 
sider that  the  child  has  never  been  taught  the  true  meaning 
of  the  terms  we  are  using.  If  describing  an  animal,  we  say 
he  is  six  feet  long  from  the  tip  of  his  nose  to  the  end  of  his 
tail,  weighs  forty  pounds,  is  of  a  fawn  color,  and  can  run 
a  mile  in  five  minutes.  But  in  all  this  we  have  conveyed 
no  accurate  idea  of  this  animal  to  the  child.  He  has  yet  to 
learn  what  a  foot,  a  pound,  a  mile  and  a  minute  mean ;  and 
of  color  he  absolutely  knows  nothing.  We  say  of  an  ob- 
ject it  is  oblong,  or  triangular,  or  octagonal,  or  rhomboidal 
in  some  of  its  parts,  has  certain  sides  parallel,  perpendic- 
ular, horizontal  or  inclined,  but  not  one  of  these  terms 
conveys  any  clearly  defined  idea  to  the  child,  for  the  very 
simple  reason  that  the  meaning  of  these  terms  has  never 
been  properly  taught  him.  These  names  have  never  been 
applied  to  these  forms  and  lines  while  under  the  inspection 
of  his  senses,  those  faithful  teachers  upon  which  he  solely 
relies  for  all  his  early  acquisitions  in  knowledge. 

Thus  we  are  continually  taxing  the  memory  with,  to  him, 
unmeaning  names  and  terms,  and  undertake  to  teach  him 
to  reason,  before  this  faculty  has  scarcely  any  perceptible 
development,  by  giving  him  formulas  to  repeat,  which  con- 
vey to  his  mind  no  clearly  defined  ideas.  In  all  this  we 
are  satisfied  with  mere  form,  without  the  substance;  and 
can  it  be  doubted  that  such  a  process  fails  to  give  us  sym- 
metrical, harmonious  development?  The  habit  in  the  child 
of  accepting  words  and  forms  without  thoughts  is  in  it- 
self highly  injurious.  In  this  we  are  teaching  him  to  be 
superficial ;  a  pernicious  influence  that  will  follow  him  in  all 
his  future  progress. 


142  AUTOBIOGRAPHY 

PESTALOZZIAN  SYSTEM ITS  AIMS 

The  system  which  we  have  adopted  is  justly  termed  Pes- 
talozzian,  for  to  Pestalozzi,  that  greatest  of  all  modern 
reformers  in  education,  may  be  credited  the  development, 
and  in  many  important  points,  the  origin  of  those  ideas 
which  lie  at  the  basis  of  this  system.  It  is  true  that  these 
ideas,  and  the  modes  of  applying  them  in  the  development 
of  the  human  faculties,  have  been  somewhat  modified  and 
improved  during  the  experience  of  half  a  century,  but  they 
are  none  the  less  the  real  thoughts  and  discoveries  of  this 
great  philosopher.  Its  principles  have  become  more  or 
less  widely  diffused,  but  have  been  more  generally  and 
thoroughly  incorporated  with  the  methods  of  teaching  in 
many  of  the  countries  of  Europe,  than  in  our  own     . 

This  plan  claims  to  begin,  where  other  systems  have 
ever  failed  to  commence,  at  the  beginning,  and  here  laying 
surely  and  firmly  the  foundation,  to  proceed  carefully  and 
by  natural  and  progressive  steps  to  rear  the  superstruc- 
ture, ever  adapting  the  means  to  the  results  to  be  attained. 
Following  this  course,  we  first  begin  with  things,  the  quali- 
ties of  which  are  cognizable  to  the  senses  of  the  children 
— awaken,  lead  out,  and  guide  the  observation  and  quicken 
perception.  That  the  observation  may  be  the  more  accur- 
ate, the  various  senses  are  carefully  cultivated.  These  are 
the  earliest,  and  in  childhood,  the  most  strongly  developed 
of  the  human  faculties.  This  fact  must  settle,  beyond  a 
doubt,  the  correctness  of  this  mode  of  procedure.  Says 
Herbert  Spencer:  "Every  faculty  during  the  period  of  its 
greatest  activity — the  period  in  which  it  is  spontaneously 
evolving  itself — is  capable  of  receiving  more  vivid  im- 
pressions than  at  any  other  period."  Moreover,  if  we  fail 
just  at  the  right  time  to  cultivate  this,  like  every  other 
faculty  similarly  treated,  it  becomes  blunted  and  dull,  and 
comparatively  incapable  of  vigorous  and  healthy  action. 
Now  these  senses  gain  development  by  coming  in  contact 


EDWARD  AUSTIN  SHELDON  143 

with  surrounding  objects,  in  discovering  their  visible  and 
tangible  qualities. 

There  is  a  point  here,  however,  that  should  be  carefully 
guarded.  The  danger  is,  that  we  shall  begin  with  the 
complex,  a  point  which  the  child  can  only  reach  through 
the  medium  of  the  simple,  indecomposable  elements.  "Fol- 
lowing, therefore,  the  necessary  law  of  progression  from 
the  simple  to  the  complex,  we  should  provide  for  the  infant 
a  sufficiency  of  objects  presenting  different  degrees  and 
kinds  of  resistance,  a  sufficiency  of  objects  reflecting  differ- 
ent amounts  and  qualities  of  light,  and  a  sufficiency  of 
sounds  contrasted  in  their  loudness,  their  pitch  and  their 
timbre."*  We  begin  then  by  presenting  simple  forms,  and 
the  primitive  and  more  distinctive  colors.  Once  familiar 
with  these,  the  children  are  led  to  trace  them  in  the  objects 
of  nature  about  them,  and  lastly  to  observe  their  various  re- 
sultant combinations.  In  each  object  their  attention  is 
called  to  the  individual  characteristics  or  qualities  which, 
combined,  constitute  the  object,  and  distinguish  it  from 
every  other  object. 

From  the  concrete  they  are  led  to  the  abstract.  Through 
the  medium  of  things  known  they  are  led  to  the  unknown. 
They  are  now  prepared  to  form  clear  conceptions  of  things 
they  have  never  seen,  through  the  medium  of  things  they 
have  seen. 

THE   TRAINING   SCHOOL — ITS    OBJECTS 

Some  of  the  principal  reasons  which  led  the  Board  to 
establish  this  school  are  given  in  a  report  of  the  Committee 
on  Teachers,  and  in  the  remarks  of  the  president,  found  in 
another  part  of  this  report;  and  therefore  little  need  be 
said  here  in  explanation.  It  is  to  be  a  kind  of  practising 
school,  where  beginners  serve  their  apprenticeship.  In 
many  mechanical  trades,  years  of  toilsome  apprenticeship 
have  to  be  served  out  before  the  artisan  is  trusted  alone 


'Herbert   Spencer. 


144  AUTOBIOGRAPHY 

with  his  tools.  If  then  such  great  care  is  taken  to  prepare 
for  his  work,  him  who  has  to  form  the  senseless  block  of 
wood  or  marble  into  lines  and  forms  of  beauty,  how  much 
more,  infinitely  more  important  is  it  that  he  who  has  to 
mould  and  give  form  and  symmetry  to  the  immortal  mind, 
should  make  some  preparation  for  his  work ;  should  at  least 
receive  some  hints  and  suggestions  from  a  master's  hands. 
He  ought  also  to  have  some  understanding  of  his  subject, 
as  well  as  the  tools  he  is  to  use,  and  the  best  method  of 
using  them.  Pupils  are  expected  to  spend  one  year  in  ob- 
servation and  practice  in  this  school,  before  receiving  an 
appointment  to  teach  in  our  city  schools.  At  least  one  half 
of  each  day  is  to  be  spent  in  this  way,  and  the  other  por- 
tion in  study  and  recitation  in  those  branches  of  natural 
history  and  mental  science  of  immediate  importance  in 
connection  with  this  system  of  instruction.  Two  hours 
each  day  will  also  be  devoted  to  instruction  in  methods  of 
teaching.  Primary  School  No.  4  has  been  selected  for  this 
Model  School.  There  are  accommodations  here  for  three 
pupil  teachers  to  be  engaged  in  practice  at  the  same  time. 
The  teacher  who  is  to  organize  and  take  charge  of  this 
school  for  the  coming  year  is  a  lady  who  has  for  fifteen 
years  had  charge  of  an  important  department  of  the  Home 
and  Colonial  Training  Institution,  Gray's  Inn  Road,  Lon- 
don, a  school  established  by  a  pupil  and  friend  of  Pesta- 
lozzi  twenty  years  ago,  for  the  preparation  of  teachers  for 
the  work  of  primary  instruction  on  philosophic  and  Chris- 
tian principles.  So  that  the  training  of  teachers  is  with 
her  a  profession.  In  this  arrangement  the  Board  hopes 
not  only  to  greatly  benefit  and  improve  our  own  schools, 
but  be  the  means  of  introducing  the  system  into  the  country 
under  the  most  favorable  auspices.  The  Normal  Schools  of 
several  different  States  have  already  made  arrangements 
to  send  representatives  here  to  become  familiar  with  this 
system,  for  the  purpose  of  introducing  it  into  these  insti- 
tutions.    Some  of  our  best  and  most  experienced  teachers 


EDWARD  AUSTIN  SHELDON  145 

at  home,  and  several  from  abroad  have  also  arranged  to 
join  this  class  . 

Remarks  by  C.  T.  Richardson,  President  of  Board  of 

Education  at  the  public  exercises  of  the  High 

School:  (I 86 I) 

Ladies  and  Gentlemen  : — As  the  Board  of  Education  has 
decided  upon  some  changes  not  only  in  the  organization  of 
the  High  School,  but  in  the  system  of  teaching  to  be  pur- 
sued in  the  other  schools  of  the  city,  it  has  been  thought 
best  that  at  this  time  I  should  make  some  explanation  of 
those  changes,  of  the  reason  for  them,  and  their  cost,  that 
the  Board  may  not  be  accused  of  innovating  rashly,  or  of 
trying  experiments  from  which  no  good  may  be  expected ; 
or  the  taxpayers  be  afflicted  with  those  qualms  to  which 
they  are  so  liable. 

From  a  partial  trial  during  the  past  year  in  the  Pri- 
mary Schools,  which  has  been  very  satisfactory,  and  from 
information  obtained  from  various  sources,  the  Board  has 
decided  to  introduce  as  far  as  practicable  the  system  of 
teaching  known  as  Pestalozzian,  the  basis  of  which  is  Ob- 
ject Lessons. 

It  will  be  necessary  to  make  a  brief  explanation  of  the 
system. 

The  name  originated  with  Pestalozzi,  a  Swiss  philan- 
thropist of  Italian  extraction,  who  first,  about  one  hundred 
years  ago,  among  the  children  of  Switzerland  introduced 
its  distinctive  characteristics.  Since  his  time  it  has  been 
modified  and  improved,  and  his  ideas  have  been  established 
and  developed,  until  under  one  name  or  another  they  form 
the  basis  of  all  truly  philosophical  mental  culture.  The 
central  ideas  of  the  system  are  as  follows: 

First. — That  all  education  should  be  according  to  the 
natural  order  of  development  of  the  human  faculties. 

Second. — That  all  knowledge  is  derived  in  the  first  in- 
stance from  the  perceptions  of  the  senses,  and  therefore 


146  AUTOBIOGRAPHY 

that  all  instructions  should  be  based  upon  the  observation 
of  real  objects  and  occurrences. 

Third. — ^That  the  object  of  primary  education  is  to  give 
a  harmonious  cultivation  to  the  faculties  of  the  mind,  and 
not  to  communicate  technical  knowledge. 

The  development  of  the  faculties  of  the  mind  in  the  na- 
tural order  is  in  this  wise:  First  the  power  to  receive 
impressions;  after  that  the  power  to  conceive  thoughts; 
after  that  the  power  to  reason.  In  other  words,  the  Sense, 
the  Understanding,  and  the  Reason. 

The  proper  method,  then,  consists  in  presenting  to  the 
child's  mind  the  quality  of  knowledge  suited  to  its  state  of 
development.  The  ordinary  method  disregards  this  prin- 
ciple and  is  frequently  just  the  reverse  of  this  practice.  In 
arithmetic,  for  example,  the  children  are  taught  to  repeat 
rules.  Now  a  rule  is  a  generalization  from  many  simple 
facts,  and  to  a  child  ignorant  of  those  facts  conveys  no 
idea  whatever,  although  it  may  repeat  it  by  an  effort  of 
memory. 

By  the  new  method  the  idea  of  number  is  made  familiar 
to  the  child  by  appealing  to  the  faculties  that  are  already 
developed;  that  is,  by  showing  them  objects,  marbles,  peb- 
bles, etc.  When  the  idea  of  concrete  number  is  obtained, 
they  are  led  to  dispense  with  the  objects  and  deal  with 
figures  which  are  symbols  and  rules  which  are  abstract. 

How  many  children  can  repeat  the  ordinary  tables  of 
weight  and  measure,  but  how  few  have  any  real  conception 
of  what  constitutes  an  inch  or  a  pound? 

Usually  a  child  is  taught  as  a  vessel  is  laden  at  the 
wharf,  in  bulk;  facts  are  thrown  in  loose  without  any  re- 
gard to  the  fitness  of  the  child's  faculties  to  receive  them, 
and  when  a  certain  amount  has  been  committed  to  memory 
the  child  is  considered  educated.  The  true  course  is  to  pre- 
sent no  other  facts,  and  those  no  faster  than  can  be  as- 
similated and  organized  into  the  mind.  By  this  method, 
education  answers  its  definition ;  it  is  to  lead  out  the  facul- 


EDWARD  AUSTIN  SHELDON  147 

ties.  It  is  organic — it  is  growth  from  within,  not  an  ad- 
dition from  without.  It  is  just  the  difference  between 
knowledge  chemically  combined  with  the  child's  mind,  and 
knowledge  mechanically  held  in  solution. 

Take  the  growing  plant  putting  forth  in  all  directions 
its  roots  and  fibres  seeking  food.  But  put  the  right  ele- 
ments in  its  way  and  the  plant  will  organize  them  into 
its  growth,  varying  its  demands  according  to  its  different 
stages,  obstinately  refusing  at  a  later  period  what  it  ob- 
stinately demanded  at  an  earlier,  and  vice  versa,  till  we 
have  first  the  blade,  then  the  ear,  then  the  full  corn  in  the 
ear.  So  with  a  child's  mind.  If  when  it  requires  simple 
impressions  on  the  senses  you  feed  it  with  complex  ob- 
stractions,  it  pines  and  withers,  or  at  best  attains  but  the 
development  of  one  faculty  at  the  expense  of  the  rest.  But 
if  you  place  before  it  the  right  elements,  it  absorbs  them, 
organizes  them,  each  faculty  taking  what  it  needs,  till 
the  simple  elements  reappear,  in  the  leaf,  the  flower,  the 
ripe  fruit  of  vigorous  healthy  mental  growth. 

It  is  in  simply  placing  in  the  child's  way  the  knowledge 
suited  to  its  natural  requirements  that  the  art  of  Teaching 
consists.  The  Teacher  must  furnish  the  material  at  the 
right  time.    The  child  must  educate  itself. 


CHAPTER  XXV 

AN    EDUCATIONAL    SYMPOSIUM 

EXTRACTS    FROM    NINTH    ANNUAL    REPORT    OF    BOARD    OF 
EDUCATION,  OSWEGO,  N.  Y.,   1862. 

At  the  request  of  several  gentlemen  interested  in  these 
improved  methods  of  primary  instruction  the  Board  of 
Education  issued  the  following  call  for  a  meeting  of  a  few 
of  the  leading  educators  of  the  country  to  examine  into 
these  methods  and  make  a  report,  setting  forth  their  views 
in  regard  to  its  value  and  importance  as  a  system  of  pri- 
mary education,  and  as  to  the  practicability  of  its  general 
introduction  into  the  schools  of  the  country: 


Mr. 


EDUCATIONAL    MEETING 

Office  of  Board  of  Education. 

Oswego,  Dec.  2,  186 1. 


Dear  Sir : — 

In  accordance  with  a  resolution  of  the  Board  of  Education,  we 
desire  to  call  your  attention  to  a  system  of  Primary  Instruction  we 
have  been  introducing  into  our  Public  Schools,  from  the  Training 
School  of  the  Home  and  Colonial   School   Society,  London. 

We  are  so  much  pleased  with  its  principles  and  practical  work- 
ing, that  we  wish  to  invite  a  careful  examination  of  it,  on  the  part 
of  the  leading  educators  of  the  country.  For  this  purpose,  at  the 
suggestion  of  several  persons  interested  in  the  movement,  the  Board 
of  Education  has  decided  to  invite  the  following  gentlemen,  together 
with  such  others  as  may  desire  to  attend,  to  meet  at  Oswego,  on 

148 


EDWARD  AUSTIN  SHELDON  149 

Tuesday,  the  nth  day  of  February  next,  to  give  the  subject  such 
examination  as  they  may  desire : 

Hon.  V.  M.  RICE,  Supt.  Public  Instruction  of  State  of  New  York; 
D.   H.  COCHRAN,   Prin.   of   State  Normal   School,  Albany,   New 

York; 
S.   B.  WOOLWORTH,  LL.D.,   Sec'y  of  Board  of  Regents,   New 

York ; 
Dr.  FISHER,  Pres't.  of  Hamilton  College,  Clinton,  N.  Y.; 
Dr.  HILL,  Pres't.  of  Antioch  College,  Ohio; 
Dr.  ANDERSON,  Pres't  of  Rochester  University,  New  York; 
J.  W.  BULKLEY,  Superintendent  of  Schools,  Brooklyn,  N.  Y. ; 
S.  S.  RANDALL,  Superintendent  of  Schools,  New  York  City; 
GEO.  L.  FARNHAM,  Superintendent  of  Schools,  Syacuse,  N.  Y. ; 
S.  W.  STARKWEATHER,  Superintendent  of  Schools,  Rochester, 

N.  Y.; 
Prof.  E.  L.  YOUMANS,  New  York; 
JAS.  CRUIKSHANK,  Ed.,  A^.  Y.  Teacher; 
J.  D.  PHILBRICK,  Supt.  of  Schools,  Boston,  Mass. ; 
DAVID  N.  CAMP,  State  Superintendent  of  Schools,  Conn.; 
WM.  F.  PHELPS,  Prin.  of  State  Normal  School,  N.  J.; 
THO.  H.  BURROWS,  Supt.  of  Com.  Schools,  State  of  Pa.; 
J.  S.  ADAMS,  Sec'y  Board  Education,  Vt. ; 
W.  H.  WELLS,  Sup't  Schools,  Chicago,  111. ; 
Dr.  RYERSON,  Supt.  Public  Instruction,  U.  C. ; 
Hon.  HENRY  BARNARD,  Hartford,  Ct. ; 
Rev.  B.  G.  NORTHROP,  State  Agent,  Bd.  Education,  Mass. ; 
Prof.  HERMANN  KRUSI,  Lancaster,  Mass.; 
HENRY  B.  WILBUR,  M.  D.,  Supt.  of  New  York  State  Asylum  for 

Imbeciles,  Syracuse,  N.  Y. ; 
W.  D.  HUNTLEY,  Prin.  Exper.  Dept.  State  Normal  School,  Albany, 

N.  Y.; 
THO.   F.   HARRISON,   Prin.    Greenwich   Av.    School,   New   York 

City; 
Miss   L.    E.    KETCHUM,   Prin.   of   the   Experimental    Dept.    State 

Normal  School,  Bloomington,  111., 
and  others. 

We  shall  be  happy  to  welcome  you  to  the  hospitality  of  our 
citizens  during  your  stay  with  us,  and  afford  you  every  possible 
facility  to  further  the  object  of  your  visit.    We  shall  also  be  pleased 


I50  AUTOBIOGRAPHY 

to  have  you  associate  with  you   such  other  persons   as   you  may 
desire. 

We  adopt  this  course  for  the  purpose  of  calling  public  attention 
to  what  we  regard  as  a  great  improvement  in  the  methods  of 
primary  instruction  usually  pursued  in  this  country,  with  the  hope 
that  it  may  result  in  promoting  a  reformation  which  we  deem  of 
the  highest  importance  to  the  cause  of  education. 

We  shall  endeavor  to  have  such  papers  read  before  the  com- 
mittee as  will  give  a  clear  idea  of  the  essential  features  of  this 
system;  also,  illustrate  fully  the  methods  of  teaching,  and  give  an 
opportunity  of  seeing  its  practical  working  in  the  school-room.  We 
hope  the  committee  will  take  ample  time  to  make  a  thorough  and 
satisfactory  examination.  We  think  it  will  require  not  less  than 
three  or  four  days.  This,  however,  will  be  left  to  the  option  of  the 
committee — as  the  extent  and  method  of  the  examination  will  be 

left  entirely  to  them 

Very  respectfully  yours, 

RICHARD  OLIPHANT,  President. 
E.  A.  SHELDON,  Secretary. 

At  this  meeting  the  following  persons  were  present  and  acted  on 
the  committee : 
S.   B.   WOOLWORTH  LL.  D.,   Sec'y   Board  of   Regents,   Albany, 

N.  Y.; 
EMERSON  W.  KEYES,  Deputy  Supt.  Pub.  Instruction,  N.  Y.; 
Hon.  DAVID  N.  CAMP,  State  Sup't  Schools,  Conn.,  and  Principal 

of  the  State  Normal  School ; 
GEO.  L.  FARNHAM,  Sup't  Schools,  Syracuse,  N.  Y.; 
S.  W.  STARKWEATHER,  Sup't  Schools,  Rochester,  N.  Y. ; 
HENRY  B.  WILBUR,  M.  D.,  Sup't  New  York  State  Asylum  for 

Idiots,  Syracuse,  N.  Y. ; 
Prof.  D.  H.  COCHRAN,  Prin.  State  Normal  School,  Albany,  N.  Y. ; 
Prof.  WM.  F.  PHELPS,  Prin.  State  Normal  School,  Trenton,  N.  J. ; 
W.  D.  HUNTLEY,  Prin.  Experimental  Department,  State  Normal 

School,  Albany,  N.  Y. ; 
Miss   L.   E.   KETCHUM,   Prin.   of   the   Experimental   Department, 

State  Normal  School,  Bloomington,  111. ; 
THOS.  F.  HARRISON,  Prin.   Greenwich  Av.   School,  New  York 

City; 
W.  NICOLL,  School  Commissioner,  Suffolk  Co.,  N.  Y. ; 


EDWARD  AUSTIN  SHELDON  151 

JAS.  CRUIKSHANK,  Editor  Neiv  York  Teacher,  Albany,  N.  Y.  ; 
Dr.  M'CLELLAN,  Clerk  of  the  Board  of  Education,  Patterson,  N.  J. 

The  following  gentlemen  were  appointed  a  special  committee  to 
prepare  the  report : 

Prof.  W.  F.  PHELPS, 

Prof.  D.  H.  COCHRAN, 

Hon.  DAVID  N.  CAMP, 

THOS.  F.  HARRISON,  Esq., 

H.  B.  WILBUR,  M.  D., 

W.  NICOLL,  Esq., 

GEO.  L.  FARNHAM,  Esq. 

The  committee  spent  three  days  in  this  examination 

At  the  close  of  the  convention,  Prof.  Phelps,  in  behalf  of  the 
committee,  read  a  lengthy  and  able  report  which  has  been  pub- 
lished under  the  direction  of  the  Board  of  Education,  by  Harper  & 
Bro.,  New  York,  in  connection  with  a  full  and  detailed  report  of 
all  the  lessons  given  and  exercises  had,  together  with  the  papers 
read  by  Miss  Jones  and  Mr.  Calkins,  and  therefore  need  not  be  re- 
peated here.     We  will  simply  quote  the  conclusion  of  the  report: 

1.  That  the  principles  of  that  system  are  philosophical  and 
sound ;  that  they  are  founded  in,  and  are  in  harmony  with  the  nature 
of  man,  and  hence  are  best  adapted  to  secure  to  him  such  an  educa- 
tion as  will  conduce  in  the  highest  degree  to  his  welfare  and  happi- 
ness, present  and  future. 

2.  That  the  particular  methods  of  instruction  presented  in  the 
exercises  before  us  as  illustrative  of  those  principles,  merit  and 
receive  our  hearty  approbation,  subject  to  such  modifications  as  ex- 
perience and  the  characteristics  of  our  people  may  determine  to  be 
wise  and  expedient. 

In  conclusion,  the  Committee  beg  leave  to  present  in  the  form  of 
resolutions  the  following  recommendations : 

"Resolved,  That  in  the  opinion  of  your  Committee,  the  System 
of  Object  Teaching  is  admirably  adapted  to  cultivate  the  perceptive 
faculties  of  the  child,  to  furnish  him  with  clear  conceptions  and  the 
power  of  accurate  expression,  and  thus  to  prepare  him  for  the  prose- 
cution of  the  sciences  or  the  pursuits  of  active  life;  and  that  the 
Committee  do  recommend  the  adoption  of  the  system  in  whole  or 
in  part,  wherever  such  introduction  is  practicable. 

"Resolved,  That  this  system  of  primary  education,  which  sub- 
stitutes in  great  measure  the  teachers  for  the  book,  demands  in  its 


152  AUTOBIOGRAPHY 

instructors  varied  knowledge  and  thorough  culture;  and  that  at- 
tempts to  introduce  it  by  those  who  do  not  clearly  comprehend  its 
principles,  and  who  have  not  been  trained  in  its  methods,  can  only 
result  in  failure." 

All  of  which  is  respectfully  submitted. 

(Signed)        WM.  F.  PHELPS, 
D.   H.  COCHRAN, 
DAVID  N.  CAMP, 
THOMAS  F.  HARRISON, 
H.  P.  WILBUR, 
GEO.  L.  FARNHAM, 
W.  NICOLL, 

Special  Committee  on  Report. 
Approved  by  the  General  Committee,  and  read  before  the  Con- 
vention, in  Doolittle  Hall,  on  Thursday  evening,  February  13th,  1862. 

From  several  gentlemen  who  were  unable  to  meet  with  the  Com- 
mittee, very  interesting  letters  were  received,  manifesting  their  lively 
interest  in  the  movement.  The  following  are  extracts  from  two  of 
them: 

Hartford,  Ct.,  Feb.  3,  1862. 

Dear  Sir — It  would  give  me  great  pleasure  to  attend  the  exer- 
cises, illustrative  of  the  system  of  Primary  Instruction  introduced  by 
you  and  the  Board  of  Education  into  the  public  schools  of  Oswego. 
I  have  no  misgivings  as  to  the  result  of  your  experiment — if  that 
can  be  called  an  experiment  which  has  been  so  long,  and  so  widely, 
and  so  successfully  done  elsewhere. 

I  have  in  various  ways — in  my  report  to  the  Board  and  Com- 
missioners of  Common  Schools  in  Conn,  in  1840 — in  the  Connecti- 
cut Common  School  Journal — in  my  volume  on  Normal  Schools  in 
England — in  my  National  Education  in  Europe,  and  in  the  American 
Journal  of  Education — in  my  volume  on  Pestalozzi  and  Pestaloz- 
zianism — and  in  my  Papers  for  the  Teacher,  second  series — by 
repetition  of  the  same  ideas,  principles  and  methods  successfully 
applied  by  the  Home  and  Colonial  Infant  and  Juvenile  School 
Society  in  London — tried  to  make  them  known  and  living  realities 
in  our  own  school-rooms. 

Your  way  of  indoctrinating  teachers  and  training  them  to  the 
methods,   is  the  best  way,   and  I   should  be  very  glad  to  witness 


EDWARD  AUSTIN  SHELDON  153 

your  exercises;  but  my  engagements  for  the  month  will  prevent.  I 
shall  be  happy  to  help  give  circulation  to  an  account  of  your  doings, 
and  to  receive  your  reports. 

Very    respectfully,   your   obedient   servant, 

HENRY  BARNARD. 
To  E.  A.  Sheldon,  Esq. 

Boston,  Feb.  6,  1862. 

RICHARD  OLIPHANT  Esq.— My  Dear  Sir— I  duly  received 
your  circular,  dated  Dec.  2,  1861,  containing  an  invitation  from  the 
Board  of  Education  of  the  city  of  Oswego  to  several  educational 
gentlemen,  myself  among  the  number,  to  attend  an  examination 
of  the  Primary  Schools  of  your  city,  in  reference  to  Object  Lessons, 
on  the  nth  of  this  month.  For  this  courteous  invitation  and  for 
the  hospitality  so  generously  offered  by  your  citizens,  I  desire  to 
tender  my  sincere  acknowledgements.  I  had  hoped  to  be  present 
on  that  interesting  occasion,  but  I  now  find  myself  compelled,  on 
account  of  illness,  to  forego  the  pleasure  I  had  anticipated. 

I  entertain  a  high  appreciation  of  the  value  of  the  Pestalozzian 
principles  of  Primary  education  which  have  been  so  successfully 
introduced  into  the  schools  of  your  city  from  the  famous  Training 
School  in  London,  by  your  efficient  Superintendent,  Mr.  E.  A. 
Sheldon.  I  regard  the  proposed  exhibition  in  Oswego  as  highly  im- 
portant, inasmuch  as  it  will  doubtless  afford  a  better  opportunity 
than  has  ever  hitherto  been  enjoyed  in  this  country,  of  witnessing 
the  results  of  instruction  on  the  Pestalozzian  plan  of  developing  the 
faculties  by  means  of  lessons  on  objects,  animals,  plants,  form, 
size,  number,  color,  place  and  drawing,  together  with  various 
physical  exercises.  I  shall  look  for  the  report  of  the  able  Committee 
on  the  subject  with  much  interest.  This  movement  will  also  be 
useful  in  directing  the  attention  of  educators  more  especially  to  the 
defects  of  Primary  education,  which  are  more  grave,  more  numer- 
ous, and  more  difficult  to  remedy,  than  those  of  any  other  department. 

I  sympathize  with  those  who  are  endeavoring  to  diffuse  more 
just  views  among  the  people  respecting  the  nature  and  objects  of 
elementary  education,  and  I  would  give  them  my  co-operation  and 
support.  Still  I  feel  that  the  greatest  instrumentality  for  the  im- 
provement of  Primary  education,  and  that  on  which  we  must  mainly 
rely,  is  the  professional  training  of  teachers.  Our  theories  may  be 
sound,  but  they  cannot  work  out  themselves.    The  Pestalozzian  prin- 


154  AUTOBIOGRAPHY 

ciples  have  long  been  familiar  to  the  leading  educators  in  this 
country  and  yet  they  have  made  little  progress  in  our  Primary 
schools,  for  the  want  of  teachers  competent  to  apply  them  in  prac- 
tice. Not  but  that  the  teachers  are  well  educated;  but  they  have 
not  had  the  advantages  of  a  professional  training  school,  so  that 
they  undertake  their  work  with  every  preparation  but  that  most 
of  all  needed. 

It  is  upwards  of  thirty  years  since  efforts  were  made  to  engraft 
the  Pestalozzian  principles  upon  the  Boston  system  of  Primary 
instruction.  Josiah  Holbrook,  A.  B.  Alcott,  Prof.  William  Russell, 
Joseph  Ingraham,  and  others,  labored  earnestly  in  the  cause.  In 
the  "Journal  of  Education,"  edited  by  Prof.  Russell  and  published 
in  Boston  in  1829,  we  find  some  of  the  ablest  articles  on  the  subject. 
Holbrook's  apparatus,  and  specimens  of  natural  history  were  placed 
in  some  of  our  Primary  schools,  and  indeed,  at  that  time,  and  for  a 
considerable  period  afterwards,  a  cabinet  was  considered  an  indis- 
pensable part  of  a  Primary  school  apparatus.  But  after  a  time  the 
Object  Teaching  died  out,  because  the  teachers  were  not  trained  in 
the  system.  In  our  recent  efforts  to  revive  the  system  to  some 
extent,  I  find  where  the  teacher  is  not  interested  in  it,  the  results 
are  far  from  satisfactory.  But  the  same  is  true,  indeed,  with  every 
branch. 

With  the  best  wishes  for  the  success  of  your  exhibition,  I  am, 
sir,  Yours  most  truly, 

JOHN  D.  PHILBRICK. 


During  the  past  year,  hundreds  of  letters  have  been  received, 
from  every  portion  of  the  country,  many  of  them  of  the  most  flatter- 
ing character,  showing  a  deep  interest  in  these  methods  of  instruc- 
tion. It  is  evidently  taking  a  deep  hold  of  the  educational  mind  of 
this  country,  and  it  can  but  exert  a  powerful  influence  in  reforming 
our  methods  of  teaching.  It  needs  but  to  be  understood  to  be  appre- 
ciated and  adopted. 

We  may  feel  that  we  have  cause  for  congratulations  that  these 
methods  have  been  so  thoroughly  embodied  into  our  own  schools. 
Their  effect  is  of  the  most  marked  and  happy  character.  It  seems 
to  awaken  every  sense,  and  every  faculty  of  the  child.  Perception 
is  quickened,  and  observation  is  awakened  and  rendered  accurate. 
Language  and  the  moral  sense  are  carefully  and  admirably  culti- 
vated.    We  have  never  seen  any  course  pursued  with  little  children 


EDWARD  AUSTIN  SHELDON  155 

which  seems  so  thoroughly  and  completely  to  educate  the  whole 
being,  including  the  physical,  the  intellectual  and  the  moral.  Al- 
though we  are  happy  in  the  conviction  that  much  has  been  accom- 
plished during  the  past  two  or  three  years  in  the  way  of  introduc- 
ing improved  methods  of  teaching  into  our  primary  schools,  yet  we 
are  far  from  supposing  that  all  has  been  accomplished.  We  feel,  in 
fact,  that  only  a  beginning  has  been  made — a  foundation  begun,  on 
which  a  superstructure  is  to  be  reared.  These  methods  are  yet  to 
be  carried  up,  and  as  it  were,  "dovetailed"  into  the  various  subjects 
of  study  in  the  higher  grades.  This  will  require  time.  It  must 
grow  out  of  further  observation  and  experience.  It  is  proposed  at 
the  commencement  of  the  next  term  to  make  a  beginning  in  this 
direction  with  the  C.  classes,  junior,  for  which  see  course  of  study 
in  appendix.  While,  then,  much  has  already  been  accomplished, 
much  remains  yet  to  be  done,  and  our  aim  and  purpose  must  ever 
be  "onward  and  upward." 

W.  D.  SMITH, 
E.  A.  Sheldon,  Sec'y-  President. 


The  result  of  this  educational  meeting  was  most  satisfactory, 
and  gave  a  decided  impetus  to  the  movement.  From  this  moment 
its  success  was  assured,  and  it  soon  became  famous.  Educational 
men  from  all  parts  of  the  country  were  drawn  to  Oswego  to  see  its 
workings. 

Extracts  from  Twelfth  Annual  Report  of  Board  of  Education, 
Oswego,  N.  Y.,  1865. 

Moses  T.  Brown,  Esq.,  at  that  time  the  Superintendent  of  Public 
Schools  of  the  city  of  Toledo,  who  spent  several  days  in  our  schools, 
having  visited  the  schools  of  the  leading  cities  of  the  country,  in- 
cluding those  of  New  England,  says  in  his  annual  report  for  1861  : 
"The  best  primary  schools  I  have  yet  seen  in  this  country  are  those 
of  Oswego,  N.  Y.  I  did  not  notice  a  single  instance  of  thatlistlessness 
and  stupefaction  which  is  inseparable  from  our  systems  of  rote  teach- 
ing. There  was  a  constant  activity  on  the  part  of  the  teachers ;  the 
the  recitations  were  short,  the  longest  being  twenty  minutes.  Each 
pupil  seemed  interested,  every  eye  flashed  with  delight,  each  little  face 
was  radiant,  the  movements  were  elastic.  There  were  no  dull,  heavy 
faces,  each  pupil  seemed  thoroughly  awake.  Was  it  not  because  the 
teaching  was  sensible  and  natural,  as  well  as  philosophical?" 


156  AUTOBIOGRAPHY 

Another  visitor  says :  "Since  I  visited  your  city  I  have  visited 
nearly  all  the  schools  of  any  note  in  Canada  West,  Western  New 
York  and  Ohio,  and  I  must  still  hold  my  first  impression,  that  none 
are  equal  to  those  of  Oswego  in  all  the  various  departments  of  in- 
struction." 

Of  such  letters  as  these  we  had  a  constant  inpouring  during 
these  years,  from  all  directions. 

There  now  sprang  up  a  demand  for  teachers  trained  in  the  new 
methods,  and  we  began  to  feel  the  loss  of  teachers  drawn  off  to 
other  localities.  In  this  way,  it  soon  became  apparent  that  we  were 
training  teachers  for  other  localities  as  well  as  our  own. 

Before  Miss  Jones  left,  arrangements  were  made  with  her  for 
such  notes  and  manuscript  as  she  might  have  in  her  possession,  and 
with  her  aid  and  that  of  Hermann  Krusi,  who  came  to  help  in  our 
work  at  this  time,  the  "Manual  of  Elementary  Instruction"  was 
issued,  which  was  designed  as  a  guide  to  teachers  who  might  desire 
to  work  out  these  plans.  The  "Lessons  on  Objects"  soon  followed. 
About  the  same  time,  too,  appeared  "Calkins'  Object  Lessons." 
While  bringing  out  this  book  Mr.  Calkins  spent  a  few  weeks  in 
Oswego,  observing  our  work.  These  three  books  constituted,  at 
that  time,  the  only  literature  on  this  subject,  and  had  quite  an 
extensive  sale.     They  did  much  toward  forwarding  the  movement. 


CHAPTER  XXVI 

RECOGNITION    AS    A    STATE    INSTITUTION     (1863) 

and 

ACQUIREMENT   OF    NEW    BUILDING    (1866) 

On  THE  retirement  of  Miss  Jones,  Miss  A.  P.  Funnelle, 
the  present  principal  of  our  Kindergarten  Training  Depart- 
ment, was  employed  to  assist  as  critic  and  method  teacher. 
We  were  now  fully  launched  on  the  second  year  of  our 
work.* 

The  school  was  at  this  time  transferred  from  the  Fourth 
Street  School,  on  the  west  side  of  the  river,  to  the  Fourth 
Ward  School,  on  East  Fourth  Street.  This  was  a  much 
'larger  building,  with  much  more  ample  accommodations 
in  every  way.  The  school  of  practice  embraced  all  the 
classes  of  the  primary  school  which  occupied  the  first 
floor.  The  training  class  was  divided  into  two  sections. 
One  section  received  instruction  in  the  methods,  while  the 
other  was  engaged  in  the  teaching  of  the  school  of  practice. 
With  this  arrangement  the  sections  alternated  morning  and 
afternoon  in  recitation  and  teaching. 

The  faculty,  as  spread  out  on  paper,  looks  more  formid- 
able that  it  really  was.  The  entire  time  of  all  these 
teachers  was  by  no  means  given  to  the  training  class.  The 
principal   was,   at   the   same   time,   superintendent   of   the 


*For  a  full  report  of  the  faculty  of  the  school  and  other  items  of  interest 
see  the  Tenth  Annual  Report  of  the  Board  of  Education  for  the  year  ending 
March   31,    1863. 

157 


158  AUTOBIOGRAPHY 

public  schools.  Mr.  Krusi  taught  French  and  drawing  in 
the  High  school.  Mr.  Weller  was  principal  of  a  Senior 
school.  Mrs.  Smith  was  a  teacher  in  the  Senior  department 
of  the  school  that  occupied  the  same  building  with  the 
training  class.  Miss  Seaver  also  held  a  position  in  the 
same  school.  Only  Miss  Funnelle  gave  her  entire  time 
to  the  class.  The  rest  of  us  gave  instruction  at  stated 
hours  along  the  lines  indicated.  The  recitations  were  ar- 
ranged to  suit  the  convenience  of  all  parties,  and  so  as  not 
to  interfere  with  other  duties.  To  each  room  in  the  school 
of  practice  was  assigned  a  permanent  teacher,  and  those 
in  training  came  in  and  taught  under  the  criticism  of  these 
teachers  and  Miss  Funnelle,  who  had  general  supervision 
of  the  whole. 

At  that  early  day  we  called  the  schools  of  practice 
"model"  schools,  as  each  class  had  its  permanent  teacher, 
selected  with  reference  to  her  superior  ability  as  teacher  of 
a  class  given  her.  The  term  was  more  appropriate  than 
at  a  later  date,  when  all  the  teaching  was  done  by  the 
pupils  in  training.  At  that  time  it  was  a  school  both  of 
observation  and  of  practice  in  teaching. 

It  was  during  this  second  year  of  the  existence  of  the 
training  school  that  application  was  made  to  the  Legisla- 
ture for  money  to  aid  in  the  support  of  the  school.  In 
February,  1863,  an  appropriation  of  $3,000  was  made,  sub- 
ject to  certain  conditions  as  to  buildings  and  attendance. 
Owing  to  some  defect  in  the  working  of  the  law,  no  bene- 
fit was  realized  from  the  appropriation  during  this  year. 
During  the  following  year  the  law  was  amended,  and  on 
May  5,   1865,  $2,128.50  were  realized,  and  on  March  31, 


EDWARD  AUSTIN  SHELDON  159 

1866,  $1,781.67  were  received.*  To  the  extent  indicated 
by  this  act  the  school  was  now  recognized  as  a  State  institu- 
tion, subject  to  the  supervision  of  the  State  Superintendent. 

In  1865  the  law  making  appropriations  to  the  school  and 
affecting  the  reception  of  pupils  and  the  general  manage- 
ment of  the  school  was  so  amended  as  to  make  an  appro- 
priation of  $6,000  for  the  school  untrammeled  by  the  con- 
ditions of  attendance  which  seriously  embarrassed  the  pre- 
vious appropriation,  but  conditioned  on  the  provision  of 
suitable  buildings  and  grounds  for  the  school  by  the  city 
of  Oswego.  On  the  passage  of  this  act,  meetings  of  citi- 
zens were  called  to  consult  as  to  the  course  to  pursue  in 
order  to  comply  with  the  provisions  of  this  act. 

A  committee  of  citizens  was  appointed  to  cooperate  with 
the  Board  of  Education,  and  the  decision  was  reached  to 
purchase  what  is  known  as  the  U.  S.  Hotel  property,  mak- 
ing such  improvements  and  enlargements  as  might  be  found 
necessary  for  the  accommodation  of  the  school. 

The  purchase  was  accordingly  made,  exchanging  in 
part  payment  a  lot  purchased  for  school  purposes  on  West 
Fourth  Street.  The  balance  paid  for  the  hotel  property 
was  $7,500.  The  contract  price  for  repairing  and  enlarging 
the  building  was  $7,750,  making  the  entire  cost  of  the  prop- 
erty $15,250.  To  this  must  be  added  for  furniture  and 
all  necessary  changes  and  fittings,  $15,750;  making  the  en- 
tire cost  of  the  building  to  the  city  $31,000. 

The  training  school  was  transferred  to  the  new  building 
on  February  28,  1866.  The  public  school  took  possession 
at  the  same  time,  which  was  to  constitute  the  school  of 


*A  copy  of  the  first  act  may  be  found  on   papc   io6  of  the  Annual  Report 
of  the  Board  of  Education  for  the  year  ending  March  31,   1863. 


i6o  AUTOBIOGRAPHY 

practice  and  model  schools.  Provision  was  made  for  two 
model  schools  as  well  as  for  the  school  of  practice.  One 
of  the  model  schools  was  made  up  of  children  from  differ- 
ent grades  to  represent  an  ungraded  school,  and  the  other 
was  a  single  grade  to  represent  a  graded  school.  These 
were  strictly  schools  of  observation  and  were  taught  only 
by  paid  teachers.  To  these,  pupils  in  training  went  to 
observe  the  best  methods  of  teaching  and  managing 
ordinary  schools.  The  idea  was  a  good  one,  but  at  a  later 
day  these  departments  were  crowded  out  for  want  of 
room. 


CHAPTER  XXVII 

STRUGGLE    AND   VICTORY 

This  movement  for  the  progress  of  educational  reforms 
and  the  establishment  of  a  Normal  School  on  a  new  basis 
was  not  an  easy-going  one.  It  did  not  move  of  its  own  ac- 
cord. As  I  was  on  my  way  to  Albany  to  see  what  could  be 
done  to  the  end  of  having  our  little  training  school  incor- 
porated as  a  State  Normal  School,  my  old  friend,  Mr. 
Hamilton,  who  did  not  at  the  outset  sympathize  with  me  in 
my  educational  ideas  and  plans,  met  me  on  the  crosswalk 
down  town,  and  inquired  where  I  was  going  with  my  grip- 
sack. I  frankly  told  him.  He  replied  :  "We  do  not  need  any 
more  normal  schools;  we  have  enough  now."  (We  then 
had  but  one,  the  Albany  school.)  Being  of  a  different  mind, 
I  was  not  deterred  from  my  purposes.  At  Albany,  I  found 
Hon.  A.  C.  Mattoon  in  the  Assembly  and  Hon.  Cheney 
Ames  in  the  Senate.  They  most  cordially  co-operated  with 
me  in  my  plans,  and  practically  relieved  me  of  any  further 
effort.  Hon.  V.  M.  Rice,  the  State  Superintendent,  was 
also  in  sympathy  with  me  in  our  methods  and  our  move- 
ment, and  rendered  us  essential  service  by  recommending 
and  encouraging  our  plans.  These  were  strong  forces  and" 
enabled  us  easily  to  secure  all  that  we  asked. 

For  many  years  we  had  strong  men  and  warm  friends  in 
both  branches  of  the  Legislature ;  such  men  as  D.  C.  Little- 
john,  D.  G.  Fort,  Benjamin  Doolittle,  George  B.  Sloan — all 

i6i 


i62  AUTOBIOGRAPHY 

able  men,  with  a  strong  influence  in  the  Legislature,  and 
always  able  to  secure  for  the  Oswego  school  all  necessary 
appropriations.  To  these  men  the  school  is  greatly  indebted 
for  its  success.  Without  them,  in  fact,  nothing  could  have 
been  accomplished.  Even  to  this  day,  if  we  want  anything 
of  the  Legislature,  we  depend  on  the  influence  of  Mr,  Sloan 
to  secure  it  for  us. 

The  strongest  opposition  the  school  had  to  meet  was  from 
the  teachers  and  educational  people.  As  I  have  already  in- 
timated, Mr.  Hamilton,  principal  of  the  High  School,  was 
not  in  sympathy  with  my  ideas  at  the  beginning,  although 
at  a  later  date  he  became,  as  Superintendent,  a  hearty  co- 
worker. 

Other  prominent  teachers  manifested  no  very  enthusiastic 
interest  in  my  work  of  reform,  but  so  far  as  I  approved  of 
them  as  teachers  of  commendable  ability,  I  assigned  them 
work,  and  they  all  became  warm  friends  and  able  workers. 
All  that  was  necessary  was  to  understand  the  movement,  to 
approve  it.  In  this  way  I  carried  with  me  my  entire  corps 
of  teachers. 

The  most  active  opposition  to  the  movement  sprang  up 
in  the  State  and  National  Educational  Conventions.  The 
first  attack  was  made  by  Dr.  Wilbur,  Superintendent  of  the 
State  Asylum  for  Imbeciles  at  Syracuse,  N.  Y.  It  was  at 
the  New  York  State  Teachers'  Association  held  at  Roches- 
ter, N.  Y.,  in  the  year  1862.  At  that  meeting,  Dr.  Wilbur 
made  a  virulent  attack  on  the  Oswego  methods.  It  was 
characterized  more  by  ridicule  than  by  argument.  At  the 
close  of  his  address  a  committee  was  appointed  to  answer 
his  address  at  the  next  meeting,  which  was  held  at  Troy, 


EDWARD  AUSTIN  SHELDON  163 

N.  Y,  As  chairman  of  this  committee,  I  framed  the  answer. 
This  led  to  a  very  full  discussion  of  the  subject. 

Prominent  among  those  who  spoke  against  the  movement 
was  D,  M.  MacVicar,  at  that  time  principal  of  the  Acad- 
emy at  Brockport,  N.  Y.  He  was  an  able  man  and  a 
vigorous  speaker.  At  the  time  I  reckoned  him  among  the 
strongest  opponents  that  put  in  an  appearance.  The  next 
I  heard  of  him,  he  wrote  to  know  if  I  could  send  him  two 
teachers  to  take  charge  of  a  City  Training  School  in  Leaven- 
worth, Kansas.  He  had  been  elected  superintendent  of  the 
public  schools  there,  and  wanted  to  start  a  training  school 
after  the  Oswego  plan,  for  training  the  teachers  of  that 
city.  I  sent  him  the  teachers  as  he  requested,  who  organized 
the  school  and  remained  with  him  until  his  resignation.  He 
resigned  to  organize  a  Normal  School  at  Potsdam,  in  the 
year  1869. 

At  that  time  he  came  to  Oswego  and  selected  three 
teachers  to  go  with  him  to  Potsdam  and  aid  in  the  open- 
ing of  that  school.  Meanwhile  we  made  no  allusion  to  his 
attitude  toward  my  paper  at  Troy,  and  it  was  not  till  some 
years  afterwards  that  he  said  to  me:  *T  suppose  that  you 
must  realize  that  I  have  changed  my  coat."  I  replied  that 
I  supposed  that  something  had  happened,  as  he  seemed  to 
have  changed  attitude  toward  the  Oswego  school.  He  be- 
came one  of  the  strongest  advocates  of  objective  and  Pesta- 
lozzian  principles  in  the  country.  Since  that  time  he  has 
written  an  admirable  book  embodying  these  principles. 

The  second  attack*  on  the  Oswego  movement  was  made 
by  Dr.  Wilbur  before  the  National  Educational  Convention 
held  at  Ogdensburg,  N.  Y.,  in  1864.     At  that  meeting  a 


♦"Oswego  System  of  Instruction."     Published  In  Barnard's  Journal,  1865. 


i64  AUTOBIOGRAPHY 

committee  was  appointed  composed  of  some  of  the  most 
prominent  educational  men  in  the  country,  with  Professor 
Greene,  of  Brown  University,  as  chairman,  to  report  on 
the  subject. 

Professor  Greene  came  to  Oswego  and  spent  several  days 
in  a  careful  examination  into  the  practical  working  of  the 
Oswego  system  and  presented  his  report  at  the  next  meet- 
ing of  the  N.  E.  A.  at  Harrisburg,  Pa.  Several  thousand 
copies  of  this  able  report  were  ordered  printed  and  cir- 
culated throughout  the  country.  At  this  same  meeting  some 
lessons  were  given  illustrative  of  the  methods  pursued  in 
the  Oswego  schools. 

This  report  and  the  emphatic  action  of  the  N.  E.  A.  ef- 
fectually silenced  all  further  public  opposition  in  the  edu- 
cational conventions.  To  say  that  we  had  no  further  oppo- 
sition to  meet  would  not  be  true.  That,  indeed,  will  prob- 
ably never  come  true.  "Old  fogies,"  they  say,  never  die. 
There  is,  doubtless,  an  endless  line  of  succession.  We 
shall  aways  have  them  present  with  us.  For  the  most  part 
the  opposition  that  has  manifested  itself  has  grown  out  of 
ignorance  and  prejudice — ignorance  of  the  true  character 
of  the  movement,  and  prejudice  that  is  sure  to  arrive  when 
old  customs  and  habits  are  invaded.  The  new  movement 
was  quite  revolutionary  in  its  character.  The  ordinary  pro- 
cesses of  education  were  reversed.  From  the  old  methods — 
of  words  first  and  ideas  afterwards — to  the  new — ideas  first, 
words  afterwards — the  change  in  the  character  of  school 
work  was  a  marked  one. 

For  a  time  little  local  opposition  manifested  itself.  The 
School  Board  seconded  all  my  efforts  most  cordially.  They 
even  passed  a  resolution  giving  me  authority,  carte  blanche. 


EDWARD  AUSTIN  SHELDON  165 

to  purchase  any  material,  books,  pictures,  or  anything  that 
might  be  necessary  to  aid  me  in  my  work.  I  could  not  pos- 
sibly have  had  more  cordial  support  than  was  given  me  by 
the  Board,  the  teachers,  and  the  citizens,  for  the  most  part. 
In  September,  1869,  I  resigned  my  position  as  Secretary 
of  the  Board  of  Education,  which  for  several  years  I  had 
held  conjointly  with  the  principalship  of  the  training  school. 
About  this  time,  or  soon  after,  the  character  of  the  Board 
began  to  change.  By  a  division  of  the  city  into  eight  wards 
instead  of  four,  the  number  of  members  of  the  Board  was 
increased  from  eight  to  sixteen.  This  change  brought  into 
the  Board  a  number  of  ignorant  ward  politicians,  who  knew 
little  of  educational  movements  and  cared  less.  They  cared 
more  to  get  their  axes  ground  than  to  improve  the  schools 
or  methods  of  teaching.  During  my  administration  I  had 
introduced  Guyot's  Geographies  into  the  public  schools — 
a  series  of  books  very  far  in  advance  of  anything  that  had 
at  that  time  been  published.  Soon  after  my  retirement, 
there  came  into  the  Board,  a  man  who  was  distantly  re- 
lated to  Miss  Cornell,  the  author  of  Cornell's  Geography — 
a  comparatively  puerile  book,  which  could  in  no  way  be 
compared  with  Guyot's  for  scientific  construction  and  ar- 
rangement of  matter.  This  man,  Wallace,  conceived  the 
idea  of  introducing  Cornell,  and  putting  out  Guyot.  In  this 
movement  he  had,  of  course,  the  support  of  the  publishers 
of  Cornell's,  which  meant  a  good  deal,  as  they  had  one  of 
the  strongest  publishing  houses  in  the  State.  When  I  found 
out  what  was  going  on,  I  determined  to  do  what  I  could 
to  stop  the  movement.  I  went  before  the  Board,  labored 
with  the  individual  members,  and  exerted  all  the  personal 
influence  I  could  command  to  prevent  the  change. 


i66  AUTOBIOGRAPHY 

Mrs.  Smith,  one  of  my  teachers  who  had  worked  out 
methods  of  teaching  geography  on  Pestalozzian  principles, 
whose  manuscript  had  been  accepted  by  the  pubUshers  of 
Guyot  for  the  first  book  of  the  series,  and  who  had  worked 
with  Guyot  from  the  beginning  in  making  his  book,  came 
before  the  Board  to  explain  its  merits.  But  all  to  no  pur- 
pose— the  membership  of  this  Board  was  not  so  constructed 
as  to  be  able  to  appreciate  the  value  of  educational  prin- 
ciples. This  was  most  amusingly  manifested  in  the  final 
resolution  presented  by  Mr.  Wallace^  a  man,  who,  as  my 
friend  Johonot  aptly  put  it,  "Could  swear  better  than  he 
could  spell  his  oaths."  This  was  a  remarkable  resolution 
adopted  by  the  Board  as  the  summing  up  of  the  whole  busi- 
ness: "Resolved,  that  Cornell's  Primary  Geography  be  sub- 
stituted for  Object  Teaching  in  the  public  schools  of  Os- 
wego." This  ended  all  argument,  but  not  the  animus  that 
had  been  aroused  by  my  opposition  to  the  proposed  action  of 
the  Board.  The  discussion  got  into  the  daily  papers.  Two 
out  of  three  of  these  papers  opened  fire  on  me,  and  at  the 
end  pronounced  me  dead  and  buried,  and  "Object  Teach- 
ing" with  me,  beyond  all  possibility  of  resurrection.  But 
you  know,  truth  (crushed  to  earth)  will  rise  again,  and  the 
movement  has  gone  on  until  it  has  filled  the  whole  land  in 
spite  of  the  resolutions  of  the  City  Board  of  Education  and 
the  funeral  obsequies  by  the  city  papers.  This  was  the  last 
serious  local  fight  against  the  new  educational  movement. 
Of  course,  individuals  now  and  then,  from  that  time  to 
this,  raise  a  taunting  cry  against  the  new  fads,  but  on  the 
whole,  the  ranks  of  the  new  education  have  grown  greater 
and  its  enemies  fewer,  and  we  have  no  more  serious  con- 
tests to  make. 


CHAPTER  XXVIII 

REPUTATION  AND  INFLUENCE  OF  THE  SCHOOL 

Many  representative  educators  from  different  parts  of 
the  country,  and  teachers  from  every  grade  were  from  time 
to  time  visitors  to  the  training  school  and  the  public  schools. 
Many  of  the  most  competent  graduates  of  the  school  had 
been  invited  to  different  cities  to  organize  city  training 
schools  on  the  plan  of  the  Oswego  Training  School,  and  to 
State  Normal  schools  to  organize  training  departments  in 
connection  with  schools  of  practice. 

Miss  Jennie  H.  Stickney,  who  was  a  graduate  of  the 
Salem  (Mass.)  State  Normal  School  before  she  came  to 
Oswego,  and  who  had  already  gained  some  reputation  as 
a  teacher,  went  to  Boston,  on  the  strength  of  my  advice,  as 
a  sort  of  pioneer  missionary  for  the  new  methods.  She 
was  at  that  time  teaching  in  one  of  the  primary  schools  of 
Oswego  on  a  salary  of  three  hundred  dollars  per  annum. 
She  was  offered  five  hundred  dollars  to  go  to  some  town  in 
the  West,  and  at  the  same  time  a  friend  of  mine,  a  Mr. 
Clark,  who  had  been  to  Oswego  to  see  our  work  and  be- 
lieved in  it,  being  principal  of  one  of  the  grammar  schools 
of  Boston,  and  desiring  to  introduce  something  of  our  new 
methods  into  his  school,  offered  Miss  Stickney,  whom  I 
had  recommended  to  him,  three  hundred  dollars  as  a  pri- 
mary teacher  in  his  school.     Miss  Stickney  came  to  me  for 

167 


i68  AUTOBIOGRAPHY 

advice  as  to  which  position  she  had  better  accept — the  one 
West  at  five  hundred  dollars  or  the  one  in  Boston  at  three 
hundred  dollars.  I  advised  her  to  accept  the  latter.  I  said : 
"I  want  you  to  go  to  Boston  to  do  missionary  work."  She 
took  my  advice  and  went. 

The  Boston  teachers  had  agreed  among  themselves  that 
they  would  not  speak  to  Miss  Stickney  nor  visit  her  room. 
By  the  end  of  the  year,  however,  they  had  quite  forgotten 
their  prejudices  and  united  in  making  her  a  handsome  pres- 
ent, on  which  occasion  they  were  frank  enough  to  tell  her 
all  about  their  agreement  to  ignore  her. 

For  the  next  year  Mr.  Clark  arranged  to  have  Miss 
Stickney  take  charge  of  a  primary  school  in  a  separate 
building,  but  in  his  district,  at  a  salary  of  five  hundred  dol- 
lars. It  was  while  she  was  in  this  building  that  I  visited 
Boston.  I  went  to  the  superintendent  and  asked  him  to 
direct  me  to  the  best  primary  school  in  Boston.  He  sent  me 
over  into  South  Boston.  On  my  way  I  stopped  at  Miss 
Stickney's  school  and  took  her  along  with  me. 

We  found  in  this  model  school  of  Boston  from  fifty  to 
seventy-five  children.  The  quietness  of  the  room  was  al- 
most oppressive.  The  ticking  of  the  clock  was  very  ob- 
servable— the  sound  of  a  dropping  pin  would  have  been 
equally  observable.  A  class  standing  on  the  floor  had  the 
attitude  of  so  many  soldiers.  They  stood  in  a  perfectly 
straight  line.  They  held  their  books  equidistant  from  their 
noses.  When  they  moved,  they  moved  as  one  body.  Every- 
thing was  in  military  order  and  precision.  The  teacher 
showed  very  marked  magnetic  power.  She  could  do  what 
she  pleased  with  the  children.  As  we  passed  out,  Miss 
Stickney  asked  my  opinion  of  the  school.     "It  is  the  most 


EDWARD  AUSTIN  SHELDON  169 

perfect  automaton  school  I  ever  saw.  Everything  went  on 
like  a  piece  of  clockwork — as  if  moved  by  some  automatic 
power,"  I  answered.  She  replied,  "This  is  the  ideal  schajl 
in  Boston.  This  is  their  idea  of  good  order,  and  they  will 
not  tolerate  me."  I  said,  "I  think  there  must  be  some  good 
sense  in  Boston — some  who  will  appreciate  the  difference 
between  your  school  and  this.  You  hold  on,  and  I  am  sure 
you  will  come  out  all  right." 

In  Miss  Stickney's  school  there  was  the  hum  of  activity. 
All  were  busy  and  interested  in  their  work.  There  was  no 
idleness,  interference,  mischief  or  disorder  of  any  kind 
growing  out  of  a  lack  of  interest.  All  were  busy  at  their 
legitimate  work.  It  was  a  school  in  every  way  to  be  com- 
mended, and  I  felt  sure  that  it  would  be  appreciated,  as  the 
sequel  proved  it  was. 

Soon  after  my  return  to  Oswego,  I  received  a  letter 
from  a  gentleman  connected  with  the  Boston  Board  of  Edu- 
cation, asking  what  I  thought  of  Miss  Stickney's  qualifica- 
tions to  organize  and  conduct  a  training  school  for  the  pur- 
pose of  training  teachers  for  the  Boston  public  schools.  I 
did  not  hesitate  to  recommend  her  for  the  undertaking. 
Her  appointment  followed  soon  after.  Her  salary  was  ad- 
vanced to  fifteen  hundred  dollars.  She  was  given  a  leave 
of  absence  to  come  to  Oswego  to  make  the  necessary  prepa- 
rations for  opening  the  school,  and  in  September,  1864,  the 
Boston  Training  School  was  opened  with  Miss  Stickney  at 
its  head.  She  took  with  her  Miss  Sarah  D.  Duganne,  a 
recent  graduate  of  the  school,  who  acted  as  her  assistant 
for  many  years,  and  at  a  later  period  went  to  Cincmnati  to 
take  charge  of  a  training  school  in  that  city.  The  Boston 
Training  School  grew  into  the  Boston  Normal  School,  with 


170  AUTOBIOGRAPHY 

Dr.  Larkin  Dunton  at  its  head  and  Miss  Stickney  as  as- 
sistant. 

Miss  Stickney  gives  a  very  pleasant  account  of  the  inci- 
dent that  led  to  her  appointment  in  the  training  school. 
She  says,  an  old  gray-haired  gentleman,  with  a  gold-headed 
cane  and  his  hat  in  hand,  entered  her  room  one  day.  She 
asked  him  to  be  seated.  He  declined,  saying  that  he  could 
stop  but  a  moment,  and  asked  her  not  to  be  interrupted  but 
to  go  on  with  her  usual  work.  He  stood  some  time  and 
then  sat.  He  stayed  on  until  time  for  dismissal,  when  Miss 
Stickney  said :  "It  is  now  time  to  close  our  school ;  can  I 
do  anything  more  for  you  ?  "  He  requested  her  to  go  on 
with  some  other  exercises  which  he  indicated.  She  did  as 
he  requested  and  she  continued  her  session  a  half-hour  be- 
yond the  usual  time  for  dismissal.  He  very  politely  thanked 
her  and  left. 

This  gentleman  proved  to  be  a  member  of  the  Board  of 
Education  and  a  visitor  for  the  district.  He  was  so  much 
pleased  with  what  he  saw  in  this  school  that  he  related  it 
to  the  Board  at  their  next  meeting,  and  recommended  that 
they  establish  a  training  school  for  the  training  of  the  Bos- 
ton teachers,  and  put  Miss  Stickney  at  the  head  of  it.  This 
was  the  gentleman  who  wrote  me  inquiring  into  the  fitness 
of  Miss  Stickney  for  the  position.  In  his  letter  he  said 
he  was  fully  satisfied  of  her  ability  to  take  the  position,  but 
he  wrote  for  the  purpose  of  having  his  opinion  confirmed 
before  the  Board  of  Education. 

This  training  school  had  an  important  influence  on  the 
educational  methods  of  Boston  and  vicinity.  The  teacher 
of  the  South  Boston  model  primary  school  and  its  model 
teacher,  Boston's  ideal,  I  have  never  heard  from. 


EDWARD  AUSTIN  SHELDON  171 

As  already  stated,  when  Miss  Jones  left,  Miss  Fiinnelle 
was  appointed  to  give  instruction  in  methods  and  had 
general  supervision  of  the  school  of  practice.  Before  the 
end  of  the  first  year  she  was  invited  to  take  charge  of  the 
model  primary  department  of  the  Albany  State  Normal 
School,  at  a  material  advance  in  salary,  and  Miss  Matilda 
S.  Cooper  was  appointed  to  fill  the  vacancy — a  position 
which  the  latter  filled  for  many  years  with  distinguished 
success.  Within  a  year  or  two  Miss  Funnelle  was  called  to 
Indianapolis  to  organize  a  city  training  school,  an  institu- 
tion that  still  exists  and  flourishes.  Not  very  long  after  the 
establishment  of  this  city  training  school,  she  went  to  the 
State  Normal  School  at  Terre  Haute,  Ind.,  as  teacher  of 
methods  and  critic  in  the  school  of  practice.  Tliis  position 
she  held  for  many  years.  When  she  resigned,  she  went 
to  Detroit  to  organize  the  city  training  school  for  that  city. 
Later  she  resigned  her  position  in  Detroit  and  went  to  Johns 
Hopkins  University  for  a  year's  study,  then  to  Pratt  Insti- 
tute, Brooklyn,  for  one  year,  and  finally  spent  one  year  in 
special  kindergarten  study  as  a  preparation  for  her  present 
position  as  principal  of  the  Kindergarten  Training  Depart- 
ment in  our  Normal  School.  I  consider  her  the  best  teacher 
in  the  country  for  the  position  she  occupies.  She  is  made 
such  by  her  original  qualities  of  heart  and  head,  her  long 
experience  in  training  teachers,  and  her  educational  quali- 
fications. 

Miss  Delia  A.  Lathrop  was  a  graduate  of  the  Albany  State 
Normal  School  and  had  charge  of  one  class  in  Senior 
School  No.  I  in  Oswego  at  the  time  Miss  Jones  was  here. 
At  first  she  did  not  quite  know  what  to  make  of  the  new 
movement  and  stood  aloof.    As  she  saw  its  growth  and  in- 


172  AUTOBIOGRAPHY 

creasing  popularity,  she  decided  to  make  herself  familiar 
with  its  principles  and  methods,  and  entered  the  training 
class  as  a  pupil.  She  was  of  a  strong  character  and  be- 
came a  warm  and  able  advocate  of  the  new  methods.  After 
graduation  she  was  for  a  year  or  two  principal  of  the  Wor- 
cester City  Training  School  and  later  principal  of  the  Cin- 
cinnati Training  School,  which  she  organized,  and  con- 
ducted with  distinguished  ability  for  nine  years  until  called 
to  preside  over  the  household  of  Prof.  Wm.  G.  Williams,  of 
Delaware,  Ohio. 

Miss  Mary  V.  Lee,  a  graduate  of  the  New  Britain,  Ct., 
Normal  School,  came  to  us  in  1862,  a  chosen  delegate  from 
her  State.  On  her  graduation  from  our  method  course,  the 
same  year,  she,  with  Mrs.  Mary  A.  McGonegal,  went  to 
Davenport,  Iowa,  to  organize  a  city  training  school,  an  in- 
stitution that  is  still  flourishing  so  far  as  I  know.  After 
a  few  years  Miss  Lee  was  invited  to  the  State  Normal 
School  at  Winona,  Minn.,  while  Mrs.  McGonegal  returned 
to  become  State  Superintendent  of  Missions.  Miss  Lee 
proved  herself  a  very  strong,  capable  teacher  and  made  for 
herself  an  enviable  reputation.  She  has  written  the  most 
sensible  grammar  I  have  yet  seen  published.  After  resign- 
ing her  position  at  Winona,  she  took  a  medical  course  at  the 
University  of  Michigan,  that  she  might  the  better  know 
"how  to  teach  young  women  how  to  live."  On  her  gradua- 
tion, she  came  to  Oswego  to  take  charge  of  the  department 
of  physiology  and  physical  culture  in  our  Normal  School — 
a  position  that  she  held  at  the  time  of  her  death. 

I  have  spoken  of  a  few  of  the  early  graduates  who  went 
out  to  organize  city  training  schools,  but  I  have  not  time  to 
speak  of  all.     Many  city  training  schools  were  later  or- 


EDWARD  AUSTIN  SHELDON  173 

ganized  by  our  graduates  in  different  parts  of  the  country, 
notable  among  them  Worcester,  Mass. ;  Portland  and  Lewis- 
ton,  Me. ;  Paterson,  N.  J. ;  Dayton  and  Cleveland,  Ohio.  Our 
graduates  also,  as  teachers,  went  into  many  of  the  Normal 
schools  of  the  country.  The  Cook  County  Normal  School 
had  at  first  most  of  its  teachers  from  our  school,  and  when 
Colonel  Parker  went  to  preside  over  this  school,  he  took 
with  him  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Straight  (two  of  our  strongest 
teachers),  and  a  recent  graduate,  Mr.  George  Fitz,  a  very 
promising  young  man  who  had  done  special  work  with  Mr. 
Straight.  Miss  Emily  J.  Rice,  of  the  class  of  '72,  had  gone 
there  soon  after  her  graduation,  and  has  remained  in  the 
school  through  all  the  changes  in  its  administration.  She 
has  been  one  of  Colonel  Parker's  most  valued  helpers  in 
modifying  and  in  carrying  out  his  ideas;  and  he  has  de- 
clared her  "one  of  the  best  teachers  of  history  and  litera- 
ture in  the  country." 

In  1866-67  six  additional  state  normal  and  training 
schools  were  established  in  New  York  State,  all  on  the 
general  plan  of  the  Oswego  school,  only  that  the  courses 
of  study  were  considerably  enlarged.  The  year  of  pro- 
fessional work  and  the  school  of  practice  were  the  same. 
The  principal  change  was  the  addition  of  the  languages,  a 
change  against  which  the  Oswego  school  always  remon- 
strated, but  as  the  Superintendent  desired  that  all  the  new 
schools  should  have  the  same  curriculum,  no  choice  was 
left  to  us  but  to  work  with  the  other  schools. 

The  Oswego  school  was  organized  on  a  different  plan 
from  any  other  normal  school  in  the  country,  in  that  it  had 
a  full  year  of  professional  work  with  a  large  school  of 
practice  sufficient  to  give  an  opportunity  for  all  the  mem- 


174  AUTOBIOGRAPHY 

bers  of  the  graduating  class  to  teach  at  least  five  months 
under  criticism.  A  few  other  normal  schools  had  what  they 
called  model  schools,  but  they  were  largely  schools  for  ob- 
servation, and  very  little  actual  teaching  under  criticism 
was  done.  The  professional  character  of  the  school  and  its 
stand  for  Pestalozzian  principles  and  the  new  education, 
were  its  distinguishing  characteristics ;  and  upon  these  its 
reputation  was  won. 

As  the  new  schools  in  the  State  were  organized,  gradu- 
ates of  our  school  were  invited  to  teach  in  various  depart- 
ments, but  especially  in  those  of  method  and  criticism. 

From  what  I  have  said  it  will  be  seen  that  the  Oswego 
school  has  had  an  important  influence  on  the  normal  school 
system  of  this  and  other  States.  This  influence  was  particu- 
larly felt  in  western  and  southwestern  States,  notably  in 
Ohio,  Michigan,  Minnesota  and  California. 


CHAPTER  XXIX 

SPECIAL   FEATURES    IN    ORGANIZATION 

In  the  organization  of  the  school  we  were  fortunate  both 
in  the  selection  of  the  Faculty,  and  in  the  Local  Board. 

In  Prof.  I.  B.  Poucher  we  had  not  only  a  popular  and 
able  teacher  of  mathematics,  but  a  wise  counselor,  a  capable 
business  man,  one  who  made  himself  useful  in  many  ways. 
At  the  time  of  this  writing,  1897,  he  is  still  at  his  post, 
doing  his  work  as  well  as  ever.* 

Miss  Matilda  Cooper,  who  had  most  of  the  professional 
work  and  taught  Grammar,  was  a  woman  of  remarkable 
power  and  insight  into  educational  principles.  She  had 
also  rare  teaching  ability.  I  have  never  seen  a  teacher  who 
could  accomplish  so  much  in  a  given  time.  She  made  a 
strong  impression  on  all  her  pupils. 

Prof.  Hermann  Krusi,  a  Swiss,  was  born,  as  it  were,  in 
the  school  of  Pestalozzi,  his  father  having  been  associated 
as  a  teacher  with  Pestalozzi  from  the  beginning  and  for 
many  years.  The  elder  Krusi  later  conducted  a  Cantonal 
Normal  School,  one  of  the  first  established  in  Switzerland; 
and  here  our  Krusi  received  most  of  his  professional  train- 
ing, and  acquired  some  years  of  experience  in  the  applica- 
tion of  Pestalozzian  principles  in  teaching.  Before  coming 
to  Oswego  he  had  been  a  teacher  in  the  Home  and  Colonial 


•Successor  to  Dr.  Sheldon  as  Principal. — Ed. 


176  AUTOBIOGRAPHY 

Training  College  of  London,  and  afterwards  in  a  famous 
private  Normal  School  in  Massachusetts.  He  had  also  been 
a  lecturer  in  teachers'  institutes  in  that  State.  His  subjects 
with  us  were  Philosophy  and  History  of  Education,  Geo- 
metry, French  and  German.  He  had  a  very  clear  insight 
into  educational  principles,  knew  how  to  analyze  a  subject 
into  its  simplest  elements,  and  present  it  in  a  clear,  logical 
way.  His  assistance  in  interpreting  the  application  of  prin- 
ciples to  other  branches  than  his  own,  was  invaluable. 

Dr.  J.  W.  Armstrong,  the  science  teacher,  was  a  man  of 
profound  scholarship,  and  of  extraordinary  skill  in  the 
maniuplation  of  apparatus. 

Mrs.  Mary  Howe  Smith,  a  graduate  of  the  Albany  Nor- 
mal School,  teacher  of  geography,  was  a  woman  of  rare 
endowments.  She  had  been  associated  with  Professor 
Guyot  in  the  preparation  of  his  geographies,  and  her  oppor- 
tunities for  perfecting  herself  in  her  subjects,  particularly 
geography,  had  been  unusual.  As  a  teacher  she  had  no 
superior.  Her  moral  and  social  influence  also  was  of  a 
high  order.  These  teachers  were  all  strong  in  their  several 
departments  and  did  much  to  make  the  school  both  popular 
and  useful. 

The  original  Local  Board  was  composed  of  the  follow- 
ing gentlemen :  Gilbert  Mollison,  Abner  C.  Mattoon,  David 
Harmon,  Daniel  G.  Fort,  John  K.  Post,  Samuel  B.  Johnson, 
Benjamin  Doolittle,  Theo.  Irwin,  Alanson  S.  Page,  John  M. 
Barrow,  Delos  Dewolf,  Thomas  S.  Mott  and  Thompson 
Kingsford.  These  were  all  high-minded  men,  who  had  the 
confidence  of  the  whole  community.  They  were  men  of 
excellent  judgment,  who  acted  wisely  in  all  their  decisions, 
and  did  much  toward  putting  the  school  on  solid  founda- 


EDWARD  AUSTIN  SHELDON  177 

tion,  besides  affording  it  every  facility  for  work.  In  all 
their  actions  regarding  it,  they  sought  only  its  highest 
good. 

With  such  a  Faculty  and  such  a  Board,  the  school  could 
not  fail  to  be  successful.  It  increased  rapidly  in  numbers 
and  popularity,  and  very  soon  outgrew  the  capacity  of  the 
building  for  accommodating  the  pupils.  In  'yS  an  appro- 
priation of  $40,000  was  made,  to  change  and  enlarge  the 
building.  In  1880  an  additional  appropriation  of  $24,625.64 
was  made  to  complete  the  enlargement.  In  '85  and  '86 
appropriations,  amounting  in  the  aggregate  to  $9,460.97, 
were  made  to  replace  the  old  wooden  wing  at  the  northwest 
corner  of  the  building  with  a  substantial  brick  structure. 
All  these  enlargements  and  improvements  went  on  while  the 
school  was  in  session,  one  section  at  a  time  being  torn  down 
and  rebuilt.  The  general  form  of  the  building  remains  the 
same,  but  it  is  greatly  enlarged,  and  its  external  appearance 
is  very  much  changed.  It  is  now  amply  sufficient  to  accom- 
modate 350  pupils,  as  many  as  should  be  congregated  in  any 
normal  school. 

A  distinguishing  feature  of  our  school  from  the  beginning 
has  lain  in  our  constant  endeavor  to  emphasize  the  purely 
professional  side  of  the  training,  and  to  exclude,  as  far  as 
practicable,  the  academic  lines  of  work.  This  has  led  to 
much  controversy,  and  occasional  changes  in  our  organiza- 
tion. From  the  first,  I  objected  to  the  opening  of  a  clas- 
sical department  in  connection  with  our  school.  The  prin- 
cipals and  the  State  Superintendent  disagreed  with  me,  and 
no  choice  was  left  us  in  the  matter  until,  during  the  adminis- 
tration of  Judge  Draper,  in  '91,  consent  was  gained  to  drop 
out  this  department.     Some  other  changes  were  made  at 


178  AUTOBIOGRAPHY 

the  same  time.  My  object  in  dropping  the  classical  course 
was  to  gain  more  time  for  work  in  other  directions,  that 
seemed  to  me  more  important  to  the  professional  character 
of  the  school.  An  additional  year  was  thus  gained  for  work 
in  history,  science,  psychology  and  teaching,  and  in  higher 
English.  A  year  was  also  added  for  those  who  wished  to 
become  superior  primary  and  kindergarten  teachers.  A  spe- 
cial course  was  arranged  for  training  critic  and  method 
teachers.  However,  as  the  State  Superintendent  and  the 
diploma  made  no  recognition  of  this  course,  very  few  ever 
took  advantage  of  it,  and  it  died  a  natural  death. 

Our  primary  and  kindergarten  course  has  proved  both 
popular  and  useful.  This  is  an  optional  three-year  course 
leading  to  a  State  diploma.  We  have  also  a  short  course 
for  training  kindergartners.  A  large  number  of  kinder- 
gartners  have  been  graduated  from  this  course  and  are  now 
doing  good  work. 

We  have  also  a  manual  training  course  which  is  optional ; 
the  option  being  between  this  course  and  higher  mathe- 
matics. Very  many  have  elected  this  course  and  have  done 
excellent  work.  Its  object  is  to  train  teachers  to  use  tools 
readily  in  the  construction  of  such  simple  apparatus  as  may 
be  required  in  science  work  in  the  lower  grades.  We  have 
a  shop  finely  equipped  for  this  work,  which  is  under  the 
supervision  and  direction  of  Mr.  Piez,  who  is  remarkably 
competent,  and  has  proved  himself  invaluable  to  us,  in  de- 
veloping all  kinds  of  manual  training  on  sound  principles 
and  in  a  practical  way. 

Two  systematic  related  lines  of  work  are  taken  up  in  the 
school  of  practice,  which  run  all  through  the  grades  from 
the  kindergarten  to  the  normal  department.     One  of  these 


EDWARD  AUSTIN  SHELDON  179 

is  science,  and  the  other  history  and  literature.  Out  of 
these  two  Hnes,  which  involve  the  thought  work,  grows  a 
third,  which  may  be  termed  expressive  or  language  work. 
This  includes  all  modes  of  expression — pantomime,  sym- 
bols and  signs;  drawing,  painting,  moulding;  all  lines  of 
manual  work,  building,  architecture;  music;  oral  and  writ- 
ten speech — penmanship,  spelling,  reading,  grammar,  rheto- 
ric; arithmetic  and  algebra. 

For  the  work  in  elementary  science,  drawing  and  manual 
training,  a  laboratory  has  been  fitted  up  with  every  possible 
convenience.  A  separate  room  is  devoted  to  clay  moulding, 
and  another  to  moulding  in  geography.  The  outfit  for  all 
these  lines  of  work  is  very  complete,  affording  every  pos- 
sible facility  for  carrying  it  on. 

We  have  laboratories  in  all  departments  of  the  school, 
well  equipped  and  provided  with  every  facility  for  thorough 
and  efficient  work  in  science.  Our  arrangements  for  teach- 
ing History  and  Literature  throughout  the  grades,  in  a 
correlated  way,  are  also  very  complete,  and  the  work  is  in 
charge  of  a  thoroughly  competent  teacher. 

These  are  some  of  the  things  we  have  been  able  to  do  by 
giving  up  the  classical  course — work  that  tells,  in  my  judg- 
ment, far  more  for  the  interest  of  the  common  schools,  than 
the  smattering  of  Latin,  Greek,  German  and  French,  which 
was  all  we  were  able  to  give  in  the  classical  course. 

We  have  a  well  equipped  gymnasium.  In  this  connection 
it  ought  to  be  said,  with  regard  to  exercise  in  a  gymnasium 
with  the  apparatus  found  there,  that  the  physical  condition 
of  the  person  should  be  ascertained  by  a  competent  phy- 
sician, and  the  appropriate  exercises  for  each  individual 
prescribed.     These  should  be  taken  under  the  direction  of 


i8o  AUTOBIOGRAPHY 

some  experienced  person,  who  knows  to  what  extent  and 
how  they  should  be  employed.  This  means  the  employment 
of  two  high-salaried  persons — an  expense  quite  beyond  the 
means  of  any  ordinary  school.  This  may  be  done  in  the 
universities,  and  a  few  highly  favored  institutions,  but  it 
is  hardly  practicable  in  any  ordinary  normal  or  public 
school. 

There  are  improvements  of  an  important  character  that  it 
would  be  well  for  us  to  make  later  on  ;  but  what  we  need  now 
most  of  all  is  to  strengthen  and  perfect  the  work  we  have 
in  hand.  To  this  I  am  resolved  to  devote  what  remains  to 
me  of  life  and  strength. 


CHAPTER  XXX 

ACTIVITIES  OF  DR.  SHELDON'S  LAST  YEARS:    1887-I897 

"And  so  my  father  stands  among  his  bee-hives,  thinking,  acting 
yet;  and  if  you  ask  him  his  ideal  of  a  future  state,  he  will  answer 
promptly,  smiling  at  you  with  his  clear  and  steady  eyes — 'Constant 
activity.'  " — M.  S.  B. 

During  the  last  years  of  his  life,  especially  from  1887  onward, 
Dr.  Sheldon,  on  the  qui  vive  to  keep  pace  with  the  rapid  forward 
movements  of  education  all  over  the  country,  made  frequent  trips  to 
other  States,  to  visit  the  best  schools.  He  attended  various  summer 
schools,  to  obtain  the  latest  ideas  in  pedagogy;  and  I  think  he  at- 
tended every  N.  E.  A.  meeting  up  to  the  time  of  his  death,  generally 
having  some  special  appointment  to  fulfill  there.  It  seemed  as  if  he 
had  begun  life  over  again,  taking  hold  of  every  new  phase  of  educa- 
tional questions  with  the  enthusiasm  of  a  young  man. 

Various  projects  affecting  the  educational  welfare  of  the  State 
occupied  more  or  less  of  his  attention  throughout  these  last  years. 
The  cause  of  the  unification  of  the  educational  system  of  New  York 
State,  for  which  Dr.  Sheldon  exerted  himself  with  great  earnestness 
at  different  times,  was  so  important,  and  its  history  so  interesting, 
ithat  it  will  be  taken  up  separately. 

In  1888  Dr.  Sheldon  delivered  an  address  on  "The  Intellectual 
Value  of  Manual  Training,"  at  the  New  York  State  Teachers'  Asso- 
ciation meeting  at  Watkins.  This  address  which  will  be  found  in 
another  part  of  this  book,  he  repeated  by  special  request  at  Colonel 
Parker's  school,  the  Cook  County  Normal  School,  in  Chicago,  Jan- 
uary, 1889.  Colonel  Parker's  school  was  ever  a  source  of  inspiration 
and  enthusiasm  to  Dr.  Sheldon.  There  had  sprung  up  between 
these  two  men  a  most  intense  and  generous  friendship.  The  visit 
to  the  school  was  an  occasion  of  rejoicing,  not  only  to  them,  but  to 
numerous  Oswego  Alumni  located  in  the  vicinity  of  Chicago,  who 
tendered  Dr.  Sheldon  a  reception  and  banquet  at  the  Cook  County 


1 82  AUTOBIOGRAPHY 

Normal — an  event  the  memory  of  which  will  always  be  treasured  as 
one  of  the  happiest,  by  every  one  present. 

Tracing  events  by  letters  at  hand,  we  find  the  following: 

From  letter  of  July  29,  1889. 

Saratoga  Summer  School. 
"I  follow  up  Prof.  Balliet  in  psychology  and  number, 
and  we  (Miss  Smith  and  I)  meet  him  for  an  hour  in  the 
afternoon  for  discussions  in  psychology.  We  enjoy  him 
very  much.  .  ,  I  only  wish  more  of  our  teachers  were 
here.  They  would  find  a  great  many  new  devices  for  their 
work  which  would  be  useful  to  them."   . 

In  1890  Dr.  Sheldon  attended  the  N.  E.  A.  at  St.  Paul,  where 
he  was  honored  by  a  charming  reception  and  banquet,  arranged  by 
the  local  Oswego  Alumni  Association,  a  very  large  and  active  organ- 
ization. 

From  1891,  we  have  the  following : 

To  Mrs.  Sheldon. 

Toronto,  July  15,  1891. 
We  are  located  on  Church  Street  very  near 
all  the  meetings  and  exhibits  which  we  are  following  up 
with  great  interest,  giving  our  whole  time  and  strength  to 
them.  We  are  meeting  a  great  many  people  whom  we  al- 
ready knew,  and  a  great  many  more  whom  we  now  know, 
but  did  not  before,  and  are  enjoying  everything  very  much. 
Last  evening  we  went  to  hear  Col.  Parker,  who  was  at  his 
best  and  spoke  to  an  audience  of  five  thousand  people  or 
more,  and  alluded  in  the  most  flattering  way  to  Oswego 
and  its  work.  We  felt  very  highly  honored.  To-day  we 
are  attending  the  Round  Table  discussions  on  psycholo- 
gical questions,  where  Miss  Smith  shows  herself  a  peer. 
I  am  very  proud  of  her.  I  find  no  one  who  understands 
these  subjects  so  well.  She  can  teach  them  all.  We  are 
very  well  indeed.     .     ." 


EDWARD  AUSTIN  SHELDON  183 

In  the  summer  of  1893  we  find  him  again  in  Chicago,  to  attend 
the  Columbian  Exposition,  enjoying  honors  conferred  on  his  school 
and  on  himself  (See  Hollis,  p.  89)  ;  meeting  once  more  an  enthusi- 
astic welcome  from  old  pupils  and  friends,  at  a  reception  formally 
tendered  by  the  Alumni  in  the  New  York  State  Building. 

From  1894,  we  have  a  series  of  letters  containing  notes  of  a 
trip  in  the  Eastern  States,  "to  gain  more  wisdom."  During  this 
journey  he  did  not  allow  a  day  to  pass  without  dispatching  a 
letter  or  a  postal-card  to  Mrs.  Sheldon.  Their  contents  would  in- 
dicate that  the  ways  were  full  to  overflowing. 

I  should  like,  if  I  might,  to  give  here  some  facsimiles  of  Dr. 
Sheldon's  handwriting  of  this  period,  showing  how  he  had  applied 
himself  to  the  task,  even  at  the  age  of  seventy,  of  learning  to  use 
the  vertical  style,  then  just  coming  into  vogue  in  the  United 
States.  He  succeeded  wonderfully  well,  too ;  and  it  must  be 
acknowledged  that  the  appearance  and  legibility  of  his  writing 
were  decidely  improved  by  the  change. 

In  the  summer  of  '95,  Dr.  Sheldon  visited  California  for  the 
first  time,  taking  with  him  his  wife  and  sister.  The  party  was  a 
notable  one.  Dr.  Hamilton  and  Prof.  Krusi  being  among  the 
number.  Many  old  friends  and  pupils  were  found  on  the  Pacific 
Coast  including  his  daughter,  Mrs.  Barnes,  with  her  husband,  both 
.professors  at  Leland  Stanford,  Jr.,  University.  Dr.  and  Mrs. 
Sheldon  endured  the  fatigues  of  the  trip  splendidly,  and  returned 
home  greatly  enthused  and  refreshed. 

We  have  to  record  for  the  spring  of  the  next  year  the  first 
break  in  the  family  circle,  when  the  wife  and  mother  departed, 
leaving  a  vacancy  whose  full  depths  have  hardly  yet  been  fathomed, 
after  all  these  years.  The  blow  seemed  to  prostrate  the  husband 
and  father  so  completely  at  first  that  his  friends  believed  it  imposible 
that  he  could  return  to  his  work.  But  a  strong  sense  of  his  duty 
to  his  school  roused  him,  and  all  were  surprised  and  awed  to  see  him 
after  the  briefest  respite,  standing  calmly  before  them,  ready  for 
work. 

From  this  time,  we  all  distinctly  felt,  his  life  was  simply  one 
of  waiting,  although  a  busy  one  to  its  close. 

During  the  following  summer  he  received  great  comfort  from 
a  complete  reunion  at  Shadj'  Shore  of  all  his  children  with  their 
families. 

His  various  activities  for  the  school  and  the  educational  system 


i84  AUTOBIOGRAPHY 

of  the  State  went  steadily  on  through  the  year,  the  preparations 
of  his  autobiography,  at  Mrs.  Barnes'  earnest  request,  being  added 
to  his  other  labors. 

The  next  summer,  1897,  he  must  still  be  learning,  and  to  this 
end,  he  attended  the  N.  E.  A.  meeting  at  Milwaukee,  and  after- 
wards for  about  a  week  a  pedagogical  summer  school  in  Chicago, 
enrolling  himself  as  a  pupil,  in  classes  led  by  teachers  far  younger 
than  himself.  His  sister  Dorliska  kept  an  accurate  journal  of 
this  entire  trip,  also  of  the  incidents  following  his  return  home, 
and  preceding  his  death  in  the  following  month. 

Extracts  from  Dorliska   E.   Sheldon's  Diary. 

July  and  August,  1897. 

When  brother  first  proposed  that  I  should  accompany  him  on 
his  vacation  trip,  I  objected,  saying  I  preferred  to  remain  at  Shady 
Shore  rather  than  go  anywhere  else  during  the  summer  months. 
He  replied:  "H  you  do  not  go,  I  shall  not."  Knowing  as  I  did 
his  anxiety  to  attend  the  meetings  of  the  N.  E.  A.,  and  also  his 
desire  to  visit  his  daughters,  Mrs.  Ailing  in  Austin,  and  Mrs. 
Howe  and  Mrs.  Inman  in  Indianapolis,  I  decided  to  accompany  him, 
and  shall  never  regret  that  I  did. 

On  the  morning  of  July  5th  we  started  for  Milwaukee  to 
attend  the  N.  E.  A. 

We  reached  Milwaukee  in  time  for  a  late  midday  dinner.  I 
was  too  weary  to  eat,  but  brother  went  out  and  procured  some 
fruit  for  me  and  then  went  to  a  restaurant  for  his  dinner,  and 
afterward  to  some  of  the  meetings  of  the  association.  I  think  he 
did  not  go  out  in  the  evening.  Rooms  had  been  previously  secured 
at  the  home  of  Mrs.  Dr.  Fox,  470  Jackson  Street.  Since  his 
death,  Mrs.  Fox  has  written  a  letter,  which  reads  in  part  as  fol- 
lows :  "When  I  received  the  paper  from  Oswego,  I  immediately 
thought,  before  opening  it,  'Dr.  Sheldon  has  gone !'  He  seemed, 
when  here,  to  have  such  a  slendor  hold  on  life,  the  distance  between 
him  and  Heaven  seemed  so  short,  and  he  seemed  so  ready  and 
prepared  to  go.  I  never  had  so  short  an  acquaintance  leave  such 
pleasant  recollections." 

He  attended  the  meetings  of  the  association  morning  and  after- 
noon, but  I  think  only  once  in  the  evening.  (Wednesday  evening 
we  attended  a  kindergarten  reception  in  the  Athenaeum.)      Thurs- 


EDWARD  AUSTIN  SHELDON  185 

day  morning  we  went  to  the  Exposition  building  to  listen  to  several 
advertised  addresses,  but  being  a  few  moments  too  late  for  the  first, 
we  stood  in  the  street  for  nearly  an  hour  until  the  next  speaker 
was  announced,  the  crowd  meanwhile  going  from  one  side  of  the 
building  to  another,  vainly  trying  to  obtain  admittance. 

We  went  every  morning  to  the  headquarters  of  the  association, 
where  he  was  delighted  to  meet  many  of  his  former  pupils  and 
educational  friends.  Many  others  would  also  come  and  introduce 
themselves,  asking:  "Is  this  Dr.  Sheldon?"  expressing  a  wish  to 
shake  hands  with  one  of  whom  they  had  heard  so  much.  The 
mercury  was  in  the  nineties  most  the  time  we  were  in  Milwaukee. 
Saturday  morning  we  took  the  boat  for  Chicago,  and  found 
the  lake  breezes  quite  refreshing.  We  reached  Mr.  Alling's  house 
in  Austin  just  before  evening.  .  .  .  On  Monday  morning  he 
went  with  Mr.  Ailing  to  the  city,  and  returned  at  evening,  saying 
that  he  had  enrolled  himself  as  a  pupil  in  a  Summer  School  of 
Methods  on  the  south  side  of  the  city.  He  attended  afternoon 
sessions  on  Monday,  Tuesday,  Wednesday  and  Thursday.  He 
spent  the  mornings  in  visiting  school  buildings  and  other  places 
of  interest,  and  took  his  dinners  at  restaurants. 

Thursday  he  received  an  invitation  to  join  the  class  in  an 
extended  trip  across  the  city  on  Friday  afternoon.  He  replied 
that  he  had  a  sister  in  the  city,  and  if  she  could  go  also  he  would 
accept,  otherwise  he  would  decline.  Forthwith  an  invitation  was 
sent  to  the  sister,  who  accepted.  We  had  a  delightful  drive  up 
Michigan  Avenue  to  Lincoln  Park,  a  distance  of  nine  miles.  .  .  . 
We  reached  home  quite  weary,  at  8  p.m. 

The  next  morning  (Saturday)  he  left  the  house  at  si.x  o'clock, 
so  as  to  reach  the  school  in  time  for  a  morning  session  at  eight 
o'clock.  After  the  morning  session  he  took  a  ride  of  forty-five 
minutes  on  the  steam  cars  to  Kenilworth,  to  take  dinner  with  a 
college  classmate,  Mr.  Henry  G.  Miller,  returning  in  time  to  meet 
and  visit  friends  whom  Mrs.  Ailing  had  invited. 

His  daily  trips  to  and  from  school,  which  he  took  alone  every 
day  but  one,  from  the  extreme  western  limit  of  the  city  to  quite  a 
distance  on  the  south  side,  must  have  been  quite  a  strain  upon  him. 
The  walk  from  Mr.  Alling's  to  the  "elevated"  station  was  three- 
quarters  of  a  mile.  At  the  downtown  station  on  the  "elevated" 
coming  home,  he  always  had  to  climb  two  long  flights  of  stairs. 
The  entire  trip  each  way  required  an  hour  and  a  half,  with  fatigu- 


i86  AUTOBIOGRAPHY 

ing  changes  from  one  car  line  to  another.  After  returning  home, 
at  about  five  in  the  afternoon,,  he  would  lie  down  and  take  a  little 
rest.  He  seemed  in  good  health  and  spirits,  and  we  were  all  sur- 
prised at  his  vigor  and  endurance.  He  had  a  good  appetite,  and 
even  complained  of  being  hungry,  a  sensation  which  he  said  he  had 
not  experienced  in  years. 

On  Monday  he  went  to  Normal  Park  to  visit  Colonel  Parker. 
On  Tuesday  we  all  went  to  Jackson  Park  for  a  family  picnic. 
(We  had  also  a  family  picnic  the  Wednesday  previous  at  Wash- 
ington Park,  brother  leaving  us  long  enough  to  attend  his  school 
session,  and  returning  to  us.)  On  the  way  over,  brother  and  I 
stopped  and  crossed  over  quite  a  long  stretch  of  unoccupied  lots 
(except  as  to  cows)  to  visit  the  University  buildings,  returning 
by  the  same  disagreeable  path  to  the  cable  cars.  ...  In  the 
afternoon  we  took  a  carriage  and  drove  around  the  deserted 
Columbian  Exposition  grounds. 

The  following  day,  July  21st,  we  went  to  Indianapolis,  where 
we  spent  two  weeks  very  quietly,  neither  of  us  being  very  well,  the 
heat  being  excessive  and  debilitating,  the  mercury  ranging  from  90 
to  100  degrees  in  the  shade. 

At  parting  he  said  to  his  little  grand-daughter  Frances :  "You 
will  never  see  your  grandpa  again." 

On  August  5th  we  started  for  home.  On  reaching  Buffalo  we 
were  feeling  so  much  better,  we  decided  to  stop  off  and  go  to 
Perry,  Wyoming  County,  the  home  of  our  childhood.  In  Perry 
we  spent  a  week  very  pleasantly,  making  from  three  to  six  visits 
daily.  We  also  took  a  horse  and  carriage,  and  drove  over  the 
dear  old  home  farm,  where  lingered  so  many  loving  and  sacred 
memories,  and  we  visited  the  cemetery,  where  we  found  many 
more  names  that  we  knew  than  we  found  among  the  living. 

While  there  we  visited  a  cousin  (Mr.  Merrick  Sheldon)  in 
Mt.  Morris,  who  had  been  stricken  with  paralysis.  He  was  other- 
wise well,  but  could  neither  stand  nor  speak.  He  knew  us,  and  it 
was  pitiful  to  see  him  struggle  to  speak,  and  then  weep  because  he 
could  not.  On  leaving  the  room,  brother  said:  "Oh,  I  would  rather 
die  in  the  harness."  He  little  realized  how  soon  his  wish  was  to 
be  granted,  and  that  he  was  to  die  in  the  harness  all  ready  for 
another  year's  work.  On  our  return  from  Mt.  Morris  we  visited 
the  high  banks  of  Genesee  River — one  of  the  resorts  of  our  youth. 

Friends  urged  us  to  stay  longer,  but  he  said  he  could  not,  as 


EDWARD  AUSTIN  SHELDON  187 

he  had  so  much  to  do  preparatory  to  the  opening  of  the  school, 
and  I  said :    "I  shall  go  when  my  brother  goes." 

We  spent  one  Sabbath  in  Perry,  and  one  in  Warsaw,  attend- 
ing church  morning  and  evening.  In  the  church  at  Perry  Centre — 
our  home  church — was  a  pastor  whom  we  had  never  seen.  He 
said  to  one  of  his  parishioners :  "I  fell  in  love  with  Dr.  Sheldon 
the  moment  he  entered  the  church,  and  felt  that  I  was  not  com- 
petent to  preach  to  such  a  man."  Monday  morning  we  left  Warsaw, 
a  little  after  seven,  spent  most  of  the  day  in  Rochester  and  Char- 
lotte, and  reached  home  at  ten  p.m. 

The  next  morning  (Tuesday,  August  17th)  brother  went  to 
the  Normal  building  morning  and  afternoon,  and  again  Wednesday 
morning.  In  the  afternoon  we  took  a  family  drive  to  Oswego 
Center.  Thursday  he  went  again  to  the  Normal  morning  and 
afternoon.  That  evening  I  asked  him  how  he  was  progressing 
with  his  preparatory  work.  He  answered:  "Very  nicely;  I  think 
I  shall  come  out  all  right.  Mr.  Piez  has  helped  me  so  much" — a 
help  concerning  which  he  spoke  very  gratefully. 

Friday  brother  went  to  his  work  at  the  Normal,  morning  and 
afternoon  as  usual.  Before  leaving  in  the  morning,  I  found  him 
winding  a  flannel  bandage  around  his  right  wrist,  which  he  said 
was  rheumatic.  He  said  his  fingers  had  felt  a  little  lame  for 
several  days. 

Saturday,  August  21st.  This  morning  brother's  wrist  was 
very  lame  and  painful,  so  that  he  did  not  go  to  the  Normal  as 
he  could  not  use  his  hand.  He  walked  out  around  the  place  and 
into  the  orchard  for  a  little  while.  This  was  the  last  time  he  went 
out  of  the  house.  I  tried  several  times  to  have  him  see  a  physician, 
but  he  would  not  consent  until  evening,  when  he  said  we  might 
telephone  to  Dr.  Eddy  to  come  out  if  quite  convenient.  Dr.  Eddy 
was  out  of  town,  but  would  be  back  at  11  p.m.  I  begged  to  have 
him  called  on  his  return,  but  brother  said :  "No ;  I  do  not  like  to 
trouble  a  ph3'sician  in  the  night."  I  then  prepared  to  sleep  on  the 
sofa  near  him,  but  he  said  it  was  entirely  unnecessary,  and  would 
make  him  very  unhappy  if  I  did. 

He  passed  a  very  restless  night  on  account  of  the  pain  in  his 
wrist,  sitting  up  or  reclining  in  his  chair  most  of  the  night. 

Sabbath  morning  we  telephoned  for  Dr.  Eddy.  When  he 
arrived  he  said  this  was  a  different  kind  of  rheumatism  from  that 
which   had  previously   troubled   him.      He   left   a  prescription    for 


i88  AUTOBIOGRAPHY 

medicine  to  be  used  during  the  day,  and  an  anodyne  for  the  night. 
He  slept  soundly  all  night,  without  waking  once. 

Monday  he  did  not  feel  so  well,  and  the  symptoms  proved 
serious,  requiring  a  physician's  attendance  again. 

On  Tuesday  morning,  brother  seemed  more  comfortable,  but 
not  so  well  in  the  afternoon.  We  sent  for  the  physician,  who 
said  he  saw  nothing  alarming  in  his  case.  Miss  Hayes  and  Miss 
O'Geran  came  out  at  his  request  in  the  afternoon.  He  met  them  in  the 
parlor,  but  wished  me  to  remain  lest  he  might  need  my  assistance, 
Brother  passed  a  very  restless  night.  During  the  night  he  called 
Charles  and  John,  but  no  one  heard  him.  Early  Wednesday  morn- 
ing he  came  to  the  hall  door  and  called  Charles  again,  and  I 
heard  him  and  called  Charles.  Charles  helped  him  dress,  and  he 
came  to  breakfast  with  us,  but  was  obliged  to  leave  the  table  before 
he  had  quite  finished  his  meal.  He  has  been  at  table  with  us  at 
every  meal,  though  we  were  obliged  to  prepare  his  food  for  him, 
because  of  his  lame  wrist.  His  appetite  has  been  fairly  good.  He 
spoke  of  the  kindness  of  everyone  to  him,  and  said  he  thought  there 
was  not  much  selfishness  in  the  world  as  people  generally  thought. 

During  the  forenoon  (Wednesday)  he  undressed  and  went  to 
bed,  and  did  not  sit  up  again,  except  to  eat  his  meals  which  were 
brought  to  him,  and  he  ate  them  sitting  on  the  bed.  He  received 
one  or  two  calls  during  the  day  and  Mr.  Looney  called  on  business 
connected  with  the  school  in  the  evening. 

Miss  Horton  came  Tuesday  (August  24th)  and  Wednesday  to 
receive  his  dictation.  On  Tuesday  Helen  (Mrs.  C.  S.  S.)  asked 
him  if  she  could  not  help  him,  and  he  remarked:  "You  will  all  have 
all  you  will  want  to  do  for  me  before  you  get  through  with  this." 
Brother  requested  on  Wednesday  night  that  Charles  sleep  on  the 
sofa  in  the  next  room,  which  he  did.  About  midnight  he  called 
for  his  assistance.  He  said  that  his  heart  was  quite  weak,  but  that 
he  had  slept  nicely  up  to  that  time.  Charles  Jay  awake  for  some 
time  after  this  until  brother  went  off  to  sleep. 

Thursday  morning,  on  going  to  my  brother,  he  said  he  had 
passed  a  very  comfortable  night.  I  prepared  his  breakfast  of  mush 
and  toast,  and  he  commenced  feeding  himself,  but  soon  consented 
to  let  me  feed  him.  He  then  sent  a  message  to  one  of  his  teachers 
to  come  to  see  him  that  forenoon.  He  complained  of  weakness 
about  the  heart,  referred  to  some  papers  in  his  drawer,  which  he 
requested  me  "to  look  after  when  I  am  gone."      This  startled  me, 


EDWARD  AUSTIN  SHELDON  189 

and  before  I  could  frame  a  reply,  he  said :  "I  think  I  am  dying ; 
my  lungs  are  filling  up." 

I  said  to  him :  "If  you  must  leave  us,  do  you  still  feel  that 
Christ  is  with  you?"  He  answered:  "Yes."  While  Charles  and 
Helen  were  looking  for  some  restoratives,  he  raised  his  arm  and 
drew  me  down  gently  to  him,  imprinting  on  my  lips  a  parting  kiss, 
the  most  precious  kiss  of  all  my  life.  On  their  return,  they 
wished  him  to  take  some  stimulant,  but  he  said:  "It  is  of  no  use," 
adding,  "Charles,  I  am  glad  you  are  here."  Referring  to  his 
private  papers,  he  said :  "I  hope  everything  will  be  settled  in  peace." 
Helen  said  to  him :  "Father,  you  are  going  to  be  with  mother  and 
with  Christ."     He  repeated:  "Mother.  .  .  .  Christ" — his  last  words. 

He  spoke  of  dying  as  though  it  were  an  every-day  occurrence, 
and  passed  peacefully  away  at  8:30  a.m.  (August  26th,  1897).  His 
dying  testimony  was  very  brief,  but  his  living  testimonials  to  his 
love  of  God  and  humanity  for  a  period  of  nearly  sixty  years  were 
abundant,  and  his  memory  is  blessed. 


CHAPTER  XXXI 

IN    MEMORIAM 

Funeral  services  were  held  on  Sunday,  August  29th,  1897,  at 
Grace  Church  (Second  Presbyterian),  Rev.  David  Wills,  Jr.,  Pastor; 
the  Mayor,  Common  Council,  city  officers,  Board  of  Education,  city 
teachers,  and  Alumni  of  the  Normal  School  having  been  specially 
invited  to  attend. 

"A  vast  throng  representing  all  classes  and  conditions  of  life 
filled  the  large  church,  while  many  were  unable  to  gain  admittance. 
No  such  outpouring  had  been  seen  in  Oswego  for  years.  On  the 
streets  as  the  procession  passed  on  the  way  to  the  cemetery,  pedes- 
trians paused  and  uncovered  their  heads  out  of  respect  to  the  de- 
parted." 

Dr.  Sheldon's  old  teacher,  the  Rev.  C.  A.  Huntington,  then  at 
the  age  of  eighty-five  years,  wrote,  on  receiving  the  news  of  Mr. 
Sheldon's  death,  to  Miss  Dorliska  Sheldon : 

Sacramento,  Cal.,  October  7,  ^897. 
I  have  received  the  obituary  of  your  good  brother,  and  in  com- 
mon with  his  many  friends  far  and  near,  "My  head  is  turned  into 
waters  and  my  eyes  into  a  fountain  of  tears."  How  could  it  be  other- 
wise? He  was  my  life-long  friend,  sincere,  undisguised,  who  never 
in  childhood  or  manhood  missed  a  chance  to  manifest  his  friendship 
for  me  in  some  substantial  way  that  made  me  know  his  was  a  real, 
lasting,  unfailing  friendship.  Of  course  I  loved  him  always.  In 
childhood  I  loved  him  as  an  hcJncst,  dutiful,  faithful  child.  In  youth 
I  loved  him  as  a  diligent,  courageous,  persevering  pupil.  In  man- 
hood I  loved  him  for  his  broad  conceptions  of  the  great  work  of  life, 
and  his  incomparable  genius  in  executing  that  work  for  the  achieve- 
ment of  its  noblest  ideals. 

A  Memorial  Exercise,  to  which  all  the  Alumni  and  others  were 
invited,  was  held  at  the  school,  October  21,  1897.  Addresses  were 
made  by  Hon.  Charles  R.  Skinner,  State  Superintendent  of  Public 
Instruction;  Lewis  H.  Jones,  A.M.  (an  Alumnus),  then  Superin- 
tendent of  Schools  in  Cleveland,  Ohio;  Prof.  I.  B.  Poucher,  of  the 
Normal  School,  an  invaluable  associate  of  Dr.  Sheldon  from  the 
beginning;  Rev.  David  Wills,  Jr.,  Dr.  Sheldon's  pastor;  and  Miss 
Serita  Stewart,  then  a  pupil  of  the  school. 

190 


EDWARD  AUSTIN  SHELDON  191 

For  several  years,  plans  were  under  discussion  among  the 
Alumni,  for  providing  a  suitable  memorial  to  their  beloved  Principal. 
The  first  determined  on,  was  a  marble  bust,  to  be  placed  in  the 
school  assembly  hall.  This  bust  was  executed  by  Mr.  Herbert  Adams 
of  Pratt  Institute,  the  sculptor  who  fashioned  the  bronze  doors  of 
the  Congressional  Library  in  Washington.  It  was  unveiled  May  19, 
1899.  Addresses  were  made  by  Hon.  Geo.  B.  Sloan  and  Rev.  Henry 
W.  Sherwood  of  Kingston,  N.  Y.  (an  Alumnus).  Prof.  Krusi,  who 
had  been  absent  from  the  school  for  twelve  years,  was  present  and 
added  fitting  remarks  on  the  life  and  work  of  the  friend  with  whom 
he  had  co-labored  for  twenty-five  years. 

The  Alumni  further  planned  raising  a  fund  to  establish  a  Sheldon 
scholarship  in  pedagogy  at  Cornell  University,  which  through  the 
generosity  of  an  Alumna  has  been  completed. 

The  most  prominent  memorial  that  has  been  erected  to  the 
memory  of  Dr.  Sheldon,  consists  in  the  bronze  statue  that  stands  in 
the  Capitol  at  Albany,  which  was  unveiled  on  January  nth,  1900. 

This  statue  was  the  contribution  of  the  school-children  and 
educators  of  New  York  State,  "as  a  fitting  tribute  to  his  life-work, 
and  also  to  emphasize  the  importance  of  public  education  as  a  force 
in  the  up-building  of  a  great  State."  The  origin  of  the  movement  to 
consummate  such  a  great  tribute  was  narrated  as  follows  in  the 
circular  announcing  the  project: 

"A  representative  gathering  of  New  York  teachers  met  in  Syra- 
cuse, December  26,  1897,  and  organized  by  adopting  the  title  of  the 
Sheldon  Memorial  Association,  and  by  choosing  the  following  offi- 
cers :  Hon.  Charles  R.  Skinner,  president ;  Hon.  George  B.  Sloan, 
treasurer;  Henry  R.  Sanford,  secretary." 

The  date  set  for  presenting  the  matter  to  the  schools  was  Arbor 
Day,  May  6,  1898.  3,007  schools,  numbering  about  200,000  children, 
responded  to  the  appeal.  From  their  penny  contributions,  and  the 
larger  ones  of  educators,  about  $3,500  was  raised,  of  which  $3,000 
was  paid  to  the  sculptor,  the  remainder  being  disbursed  for  incidental 
expenses. 

The  statue  was  executed  by  John  Francis  Brines,  and  at  the 
unveiling  were  present  U.  S.  Commissioner  of  Education  W.  T. 
Harris,  Governor  Theodore  Roosevelt,  Hon.  Geo.  B.  Sloan,  Hon. 
Chas.  R.  Skinner,  Dr.  I.  B.  Poucher,  and  President  Milne  of  the 
Albany  Norman  College — all  of  whom  made  addresses.  Governor 
Roosevelt  unveiled  the  statute. 


CHAPTER  XXXII 

FAMILY   LIFE 

[Notes  by  a  Daughter  of  Dr.  Sheldon.] 
The  home  relations  in  the  Sheldon  household  were  beautiful  and 
had  their  influence  on  all  who  came  in  contact  with  them.     A  letter 
written  to  Mary  Sheldon,  in  1889,  by  Dr.  Henry  R.  Stiles,  an  ardent 
historian  of  New  England  families,  has  this  reference  to  them : 

It  seems  as  if  God's  blessing  rested  upon  every  member  of  your 
family,  from  the  dear  pater  et  mater  down  to  the  youngest  duckling 
of  the  brood.  I  often  think  of  you  all  with  surprise — at  the  per- 
fection of  your  family  life — its  serenity,  joyfulness,  usefulness.  Do 
you  really  appreciate  all  your  inheritance?  ..." 

All  who  have  ever  attended  the  Oswego  school,  will  remember 
the  periodical  gatherings  of  the  students  at  Mr.  Sheldon's  home — in 
the  Spring  for  a  grand  sugaring-off,  and  in  the  autumn  for  a  harvest 
party,  i.  e.,  a  fruit  feast.  Of  all  who  enjoyed  them,  none  enjoyed 
these  more  than  Mr.  Sheldon  himself.  They  were  the  expression  of 
his  over-flowing  love  to  his  pupils.  The  first  sugar  party  is  described 
by  a  participant  as  follows : 

Mr.  Sheldon  had  invited  all  the  students  of  the  school  to  his 
home  to  join  in  an  old-fashioned  "sugaring  off"  party.  The  entire 
school  accepted  the  invitation  and  a  large  number  of  friends  turned 
out  to  share  in  the  fun.  Mrs.  Sheldon  presided  over  the  "sugaring" 
process  and  made  every  one  feel  at  home  and  happy.  The  "menu"  in- 
cluded "warm  maple  sugar,"  "maple  sugar  candied  in  snow,  and 
maple  sugar  served  up  in  every  other  form."  The  Sheldon  home 
was  thrown  open  to  the  visitors,  and  the  grove  and  grounds  over- 
looking Lake  Ontario  were  thronged  with  a  joyous  crowd,  promen- 
ading, chatting,  rollicking  and  romping. 

The  orchard  contained  many  pear-trees,  bearing  the  finest 
Bartletts.  When  these  were  ripe,  Mr.  Sheldon  always  devoted  the 
fairest  of  them  to  the  entertainment  of  his  harvest  party;  adding  to 

192 


The  Family  Group. 


EDWARD  AUSTIN  SHELDON  193 

■the  feast  other  fruits  bought  from  neighboring  orchards,  which  were 
for  many  years  prolific  of  very  choice  fruit. 

In  the  midst  of  these  Oswego  home  and  school  attachments, 
Mr.  Sheldon  was  ever  turning  back  with  undiminished  affection  to 
his  old  home,  his  parents,  his  sister  and  brother.  Many  letters  I  have 
found  containing  plans  for  gathering  them  together  to  be  perma- 
nently with  him.  He  always  insisted,  at  least,  on  seeing  them  once  a 
year,  either  in  Perry  or  at  Shady  Shore.  Summer  after  summer,  the 
family  of  eight  packed  up  and  tripped  to  Perry  to  live  on  the  old 
farm  for  a  month  or  more.  And  the  old  home  contained  all  com- 
fortably, without  any  one  having  to  camp  out — so  hospitably  had  the 
grandfather  built.  Then  Mr.  Sheldon  was  seen  in  his  very  element, 
returned  to  his  favorite  farm  pursuits,  into  which  he  entered  with 
his  whole  soul,  the  happiest  man  on  the  face  of  the  earth — and  the 
best  hand  in  the  field.  His  work  was  surely  worth  the  board  and 
lodging  of  eight  people.  Would  that  all  his  pupils  might  have  had 
the  treat  sometime,  of  seeing  the  picture  made  by  their  Principal, 
mounted  on  a  big  load  of  hay,  togged  out  in  his  blue  overalls  and 
big  straw  hat — his  aureole  of  white  hair  curling  out  beneath,  all 
tossed  and  blown,  and  his  smiling  face  beaming  with  fun  and  energy. 

A  daughter  of  Mr.  Sheldon  writes  this  of  the  farming-out  time, 
and  incidentally  of  the  family  relationships : 

We  children  were  having  just  as  good  a  time,  with  plenty  of 
cousins  to  help  us.  Yet  we  were  always  glad  to  get  back  to  our 
"dear  old  Lake"  Ontario,  with  its  murmurs  and  its  thunders — last 
sound  at  night  and  first  sound  in  the  morning — with  its  world  of 
changing  color  and  its  glorious  sunsets.  That  lake  and  sky  have 
often  seemed  to  bear  us  up,  away  from  the  common  world,  into 
realms  of  purest  aspiration.  Some  of  us,  when  away  from  home, 
have  been  stricken  with  actual,  serious  homesickness  for  them.  In 
fact,  I  believe  those  surroundings  did  have  a  tendency  to  make  In- 
dians of  us,  in  more  ways  than  one.  And  such  a  retreat  was  what 
our  father  especially  needed,  to  save  him  from  being  hopelessly 
immersed  in  school  cares.  On  the  other  hand,  there  is  no  doubt 
that  his  constitution  was  to  some  extent  undermined  by  his  severe 
struggles  with  snow  and  cold,  getting  back  and  forth  during  the 
long  tedious  winters ;  and  by  his  daily  anxiety  about  reaching  school 
in  time,  from  such  a  distance. 

Especially  after  our  grandfather  died  (in  1878)  and  our  uncle 
(in  1883),  I  find  his  letters  constantly  urging  his  mother  and  sisters 
to  come  to  him.  But  the  three  bereaved  women — the  widowed  sister 
being  an  invalid — clung  to  the  old  home,  until  grandmother  died 
(in  1884),  soon  after  which  the  change  was  made. 


194  AUTOBIOGRAPHY 

These  affectionate  letters  were  numerous  through  many  years, 
in  spite  of  his  muhitudinous  cares.  I  will  present  only  a  few,  and 
you  will  know  them  all. 

Oswego,  N.  Y,,  January  31,  1877. 
Dear  Folks  at  Home: — 

I  should  like  to  drop  in  upon  you  to-night  and  shake 
you  all  by  the  hand  and  exchange  the  kiss  of  affection, 
but  as  that  cannot  be,  I  will  do  the  next  best  thing,  write 
a  letter  and  let  you  know  that  I  am  thinking  of  you  and 
loving  you.  My  heart  goes  out  to  you  very  often,  and  I 
live  over  with  you  all  your  joys  and  sorrows,  hopes  and 
fears.  I  do  not  know  of  a  time  when  my  childhood  has 
been  so  often  up  for  review  as  during  this  winter.  I  some- 
times think,  as  I  grow  older,  that  my  old  home  grows  dearer 
to  me;  I  am  sure  the  companions  of  that  home  do. 

Oswego,  April  5,  1882. 
My  Dear  Mother: — 

I  send  you  by  this  mail  a  birthday  token  which  you  will 
accept  from  a  son  who  loves  you  more  and  more  as  the 
years  roll  by.  I  have  not  many  things  of  which  to  be  proud, 
but  I  am  proud  of  my  mother.  I  am  proud  that  she  has 
been  so  good  a  mother ;  that  she  has  done  so  much  for  her 
children ;  that  she  has  lived  so  long,  and  has  ever  been  and 
still  is  so  cheery  and  happy;  that  she  has  triumphed  over 
death  and  the  grave,  and  can  say  to  them.  "O  Death,  where 
is  thy  sting?  O  Grave,  where  is  thy  victory?"  Such  an 
old  age  is  indeed  beautiful,  and  I  hope  you  may  yet  live 
many  years  to  enjoy  it,  and  that  your  friends  may  enjoy 
it  too.  My  last  visit  was  a  delightful  one.  I  enjoyed  it 
all  intensely.  I  took  no  harm  from  the  free  indulgence  in 
warm  maple  sugar,  and  the  renewal  of  old  time  scenes  and 
occupations  did  me  all  sorts  of  good.  .   .  . 

With  much  love  to  you  all,  I  am  your  loving  and  ad- 
miring son, 

Edward. 


EDWARD  AUSTIN  SHELDON  195 

At  the  time  of  his  mother's  death,  Mr.  Sheldon  went  to  Perry 
to  attend  the  funeral,  and  intended  then  to  assist  in  closing  the  home. 
But  the  emotions  aroused  were  too  much  for  him,  and  he  was 
obliged  to  postpone  it  until  fall.  He  then  went  to  Perry,  in  the 
midst  of  a  busy  school-term,  and  gave  what  time  he  could  to  pre- 
paring for  removal ;  permitting  his  sister  to  bring  away  many  things 
that  one  less  sympathetic  would  have  insisted  on  leaving  behind. 

His  sister  Dorliska  made  her  home  with  him  from  this  time;  as 
did  also  the  invalid  sister  until  her  death  in  1885. 

The  same  intensity  of  family  affection  that  went  out  toward  the 
older  generation,  extended  itself  to  the  younger.  So,  all  through 
his  life,  although  perfectly  willing  to  see  his  children  go  forth  to 
work  in  the  world,  no  matter  how  far  away,  he  still  longed  for  the 
yearly  reunion,  the  great  vacation  home-gathering  of  the  whole  com- 
pany of  dear  ones.  He  felt  that  this  consummation  was  really 
worth  a  heavy  outlay  of  money  and  time.  It  was  one  of  the  few 
things  in  which  he  indulged  extravagance. 

Among  his  children,  he  counted  the  school  alumni,  and  in  the 
same  way  he  looked  for  their  home-coming,  on  the  occasion  of  the 
biennial  meetings;  when,  indeed,  a  remarkable  number  of  them, 
reciprocating  the  feeling,  did  and  still  do  return  for  social  enjoy- 
ment, interchange  of  wisdom,  and  fresh  inspiration. 


CHAPTER  XXXIII 

DEVOTION    TO   THE  OSWEGO   WORK 

Nearly  allied  to  this  strong  family  affection,  was  the  devotion 
Mr.  Sheldon  showed  to  his  Oswego  work.  Mrs.  Barnes  has  men- 
tioned three  very  attractive  offers  that  came  to  him,  of  positions 
elsewhere,  during  the  early  years  of  the  Oswego  Training  School. 
But  he  felt  intuitively  that  this  work  belonged  peculiarly  to  him, 
as  a  child  to  a  father. 

His  motives  for  refusing  these  offers  have  been  made  sufficiently 
clear;  but  a  few  extracts  from  letters  relating  to  them,  will  bring 
into  clearer  view  some  other  interesting  features  presented  by  these 
episodes. 

The  first  is  given  partly  to  call  attention  to  a  precept  always 
earnestly  upheld  and  followed  by  Mr.  Sheldon,  as  of  prime  import- 
ance to  success  with  a  school  or  any  organization.  This  letter  was 
his  first  reply  to  the  offer  of  the  principalship  of  the  Normal 
School  at  Albany. 

Oswego,  January  ii,  1867. 
Dr.  Woolworth, 

Dear  Sir: — 
Your  favor  of  the  8th  inst.  is  before  me.  The  proposi- 
tion it  contains  involves  too  many  and  too  great  responsibili- 
ties to  allow  of  a  hasty  decision.  I  therefore  ask  a  day  or 
two  in  which  to  consider  the  matter  and  consult  with  friends. 
In  the  meantime  I  should  like  to  know  whether,  in  your 
opinion,  this  appointment  would  be  favorably  received  by 
the  teachers.    Without  their  cordial  support  and  co-operation 

196 


C 


H 


o 

o 
o 
r 


O 


3 


EDWARD  AUSTIN  SHELDON  197 

no  one  can  hope  to  sustain  the  reputation  of  the  school, 
and  make  it  a  power  for  good. 

Again,  is  there  unanimity  on  the  part  of  the  committee? 
Would  Mr.  Rice  favor  the  appointment?  The  answers  to 
these  questions  may  affect  my  decision.  With  the  cordial 
sympathy  and  support  of  the  committee  and  faculty  of  the 
school,  the  inducement  to  break  away  from  a  work  to  which 
I  have  been  for  four  years  wedded,  and  in  which  I  still  feel 
the  deepest  interest,  wall  be  very  tempting.  Should  I  de- 
cide to  consider  favorably  such  an  appointment,  I  shall  then 
desire,  before  the  final  acceptance  of  it,  to  visit  Albany  and 
lay  before  the  committee  and  the  faculty  my  plans  for  the 
reorganization  and  management  of  the  school,  and  if  our 
views  should  harmonize  all  round,  then  the  path  of  duty 
would  appear  plain ;  but  without  such  harmony  I  could  not 
think  of  assuming  so  great  a  responsibility.  After  receiving 
your  reply  to  this  I  hope  to  be  able  to  give  you  my  decision. 

With  grateful  acknowledgment  for  the  honor  you  have 
conferred  upon  me  in  suggesting  my  name  as  a  candidate 
for  this  position,  I  remain, 

Yours  with  the  highest  esteem, 

E.  A.  Sheldon. 

The  succeeding  correspondence  indicates  that  the  position  was 
not  refused  on  account  of  conditions  in  Albany : 

Oswego,  January  17,  1867. 
S.  B.  Woodworth,  LL.D., 

Sec'y  Ed.  Com.,  N.  Y.  S.  N.  Sch'l. 
Dear  Sir, 

Your  favor  of  the  15th  inst.  is  received,  for  which  please 
accept  my  thanks.  It  answers  satisfactorily  the  questions 
put,  and  I  cannot  doubt  that  I  should  receive  the  hearty  co- 


198  AUTOBIOGRAPHY 

operation  of  both  teachers  and  school-officers  in  my  work, 
should  I  decide  to  accept  the  position  of  Principal  of  the 
Normal  School ;  but  such  is  the  state  of  feeling  among  the 
teachers  in  this  school,  in  the  Board  and  among  the  friends 
of  education  here,  as  to  the  efifect  upon  the  school  of  my 
leaving  at  this  time,  that  I  am  led  to  regard  it  a  duty  to 
decline  the  flattering  proposition  contained  in  your  favor 
of  the  8th  inst.  There  is  so  much  that  is  inviting  in  the 
position  you  offer  me,  that  it  has  not  been  without  careful 
and  serious  consideration  that  I  have  come  to  this  conclu- 
sion, and  a  sense  of  duty  alone  satisfied  me  that  I  have  made 
a  right  decision. 

Again  thanking  you  for  the  high  compliment  you  have 
paid  me  in  presenting  my  name  as  a  candidate  for  the  Prin- 
cipalship  of  the  N.  Y.  State  Normal  School,  and  with  the 
hope  that  you  may  find  one  more  worthy  of  the  position,  I 
remain.  Yours  very  truly, 

E.  A.  SHELDON. 

The  following  letter  inviting  Mr.  Sheldon  to  Missouri,  is  ex- 
tremely interesting  as  reflecting  the  advancement  of  educational 
ideas  in  that  State  at  the  time.  Without  investigating  the  history 
of  the  matter,  one  can  venture  to  affirm  that  this  offer  represents 
one  of  the  first  attempts  to  introduce  pedagogics  as  a  university 
branch.  It  certainly  antedates  by  many  years  the  recognition  of  its 
importance  by  Northern  universities : 

Columbia,  Mo.,  May  10,  1867. 
Prof.  E.  A.  Sheldon, 
Dear  Sir : — 

Mr.  Phelps,  of  Minnesota,  in  a  letter  just  received,  mentioned 
your  name  in  connection  with  the  place  of  principal  of  the  Normal 
College  to  form  a  part  of  this  University.  The  University  here  is 
to  consist  of  College  of  Science  and  Letters  which  has  been  in  ope- 
ration since  1843,  and  is  now  to  be  enlarged  by  the  addition  of  pro- 
fessional colleges.  At  the  last  meeting  of  the  Board  of  Curators,  it 
was  resolved  to  establish  a  college  for  the  instruction  of  teachers. 
The  idea  is  still  further  to  be  carried  out  by  the  establishment  of 
a  College  of  Agriculture;  and  to  this  end  I  think  the  Legislature 
will  confer  on  the  University  an  agricultural  grant  of  330,000  acres 
of  land. 

We  wish  to  avoid  failure,  if  possible,  in  any  part  of  the  design. 


EDWARD  AUSTIN  SHELDON  199 

We  can  give  salary  of  $2,000  to  the  Principal  of  this  College.  But 
he  must  be  a  man  of  tact  and  talent  and  able  to  influence  the  public 
mind. 

There  is  rto  separate  Normal  building  at  present.  We  can  give 
one  large  room,  with  easy  access  to  gallery  of  chapel,  if  desired  that 
normal  pupils  should  form  part  of  the  worshipping  assembly  of 
students  at  morning  prayers.  We  could  also  give  one  recitation 
room.  We  desire  to  have  a  model  school  to  consist  of  three  grades. 
We  have  a  building  30  x  60,  one  story,  high  ceiling,  in  which  we 
might  commence  the  school,  which  should  serve  as  a  graded  school 
for  the  town,  and  be  an  exemplar  for  such  school.  This  is  some 
rods  (say  30)  from  the  University  in  corner  of  campus.  I  have  been 
thus  particular  to  show  you  the  disadvantages  of  the  beginning  enter- 
prise. 

The  rooms  of  any  of  the  professors  would  be  open  to  normal 
pupils  under  direction  of  the  principal.  The  College  is,  however,  to 
be  a  separate  organization,  except  so  far  as  it  may  be  benefitted  by 
community  of  instruction.  Just  as  the  law  class  will  receive  instruc- 
tion from  president  in  constitutional  and  international  law. 

But  I  cannot  go  into  detail.  Can  you  aid  as  to  the  man?  The 
Board  meet  on  the  26th  of  June,  Commencement  day;  we  ought 
really  to  have  a  man  with  us  at  that  time,  who  could  at  once  give 
direction  as  to  altering  and  repairing  rooms  and  procuring  furni- 
ture. The  Board  would  require  testimonials.  The  Normal  School 
will  open  third  Monday  of  September. 

I  need  not  say  a  word  of  Missouri  or  of  the  importance  of  the 
object. 

Columbia  is  a  town  of  2,000  inhabitants,  has  two  female  col- 
leges in  good  condition.  Railroad  to  reach  it  from  North  Missouri 
road  in  July  next.     The  society  is  good. 

I  have  until  recently  been  connected  with  State  University  of 

Wisconsin,  at  Madison,  where  my  family  still  is.     Would  you  be 

inclined  .o  an  enterprise  of  this  kind?    Can  you  name  a  good  man? 

Some  papers  would  be  required.    Please  send  me  any  documents 

in  regard  to  your  school. 

What  is  the  pay  of  your  teachers,  male  and  female? 
Yours  truly, 

DANIEL  READ. 
It  seems  appropriate  here  to  refer  to  an  offer  made  to  Horace 
Mann  in  1839,  of  the  Presidency  of  a  university  in  Missouri,  at  a 
salary  of  $3,000,  plus  elegant  house,  gardens,  etc.  His  emphatic 
rejection  of  this  offer,  on  account  of  his  devotion  to  the  great  task 
upon  which  he  had  just  entered,  altho'  with  the  pitiful  salary  of 
only  $1,500,  is  exactly  on  a  par  with  Mr.  Sheldon's  decision.  I 
mention  this  also  to  indicate  the  progressivcness  of  the  educational 
authorities  of  Missouri,  in  seeking  to  attract  to  its  schools  the 
most  advanced  of  Eastern  educators. 


CHAPTER  XXXIV 

RELATIONS  WITH   COLLEAGUES 

The  harmonious  relations  on  which  Mr.  Sheldon  insisted,  really 
existed  between  him  and  his  colleagues,  in  the  school,  and  in  the 
State.  This  fact  cannot  be  better  realized  than  by  reference  to  a 
few  documents  that  owed  their  origin  to  the  period  of  his  nervous 
prostation,  to  which  M.  S.  B.  has  referred : 

"It  would  not  be  in  accordance  with  Father's  disposition  to 
dwell  on  this  period  in  detail.  He  was  heartily  ashamed  of  it,  and 
of  all  smaller  attacks  of  illness  to  which  he  ever  had  to  suc- 
cumb. The  latter  were  few  indeed,  owing  largely  to  his  temperate, 
prudent  way  of  living.  On  this  occasion,  he  felt  that  he  had  rashly 
dissipated  in  ivork,  that  he  himself  was  to  blame,  and  he  severely 
disapproved  of  this  type  of  foolishness.  Although  abundant  ma- 
terial is  at  hand  for  reproducing  a  detailed  history  of  his  desperate 
struggle  with  a  disheartening  form  of  nervous  exhaustion,  it  seems 
best  to  pass  it  by,  and  to  present  only  one  phase  of  the  period — a 
a  phase  that  gave  him  and  his  friends  great  comfort  at  the  time, 
and  also  in  retrospect." 

Signs  of  this  break-down  first  became  serious  in  the  summer 
of  1879.  Before  the  end  of  the  next  school  term,  Mr.  Sheldon 
was  obliged  to  leave  school  and  home,  in  order  to  try  medical 
treatment  where  it  seemed  that  he  might  soonest  obtain  relief — with 
Dr.  Brooks,  in  Providence,  R.  I.  He  had  hoped  to  resume  his  duties 
at  the  opening  of  the  following  term.  Events  proved  that  he  must 
remain  longer  in  Providence.  The  following  letter  and  resolutions 
bring  out  my  point. 

Oszuego  Normal  School  Faculty  to  E.  A.  S. 

Oswego,  Jan.  21,  1880. 
Prof.  E.  A.  Sheldon, 
Dear  Friend : 
We,  your  assistants  and  co-workers,  desire  to  report  to  you  that 
the  school  is  moving  on  in  an  orderly  and  satisfactory  manner.    Each 

200 


EDWARD  AUSTIN  SHELDON  201 

of  us  is  endeavoring  to  develop  and  to  use  a  third  eye  by  means  of 
which  we  can  observe  any  departure  from  your  standard  of  good 
discipline.     Thus  far  we  have  been  successful. 

Arrangements  for  our  closing  exercises  are  progressing  well. 
We  individually  and  collectively  wish  to  express  the  hope  that  you 
will  feel  at  perfect  liberty  to  remain  in  Providence  during  Com- 
mencement. You  have  "brought  us  up"  so  well  that  we  can  attend 
to  all  Comencement  labors  without  undue  tax  upon  any  of  us. 

We  have  faith  in  your  present  treatment  and  wish  you  to  con- 
tinue it  steadily  without  that  retardation  which  would  necessarily 
follow  a  journey  here  and  attention  to  school  matters.  We  feel 
that  we  cannot  too  strongly  urge  and  entreat  you  to  avoid  all 
things  that  may  hinder  your  perfect  restoration  to  health  and  to 
labor  among  us. 

With  most  earnest  faith,  hope  and  prayers  for  your  speedy  re- 
covery, we  remain. 

Yours  faithfully, 

I.  B.  POUCHER, 
H.  KRUSI,  JULIET  A.  COOK, 

H.  H.  STRAIGHT.  M.  W.  MORLEY, 

MARY  DAVIS  MOORE,  GEORGIE  A.  TIMERSON, 

MARY  V.  LEE,  SARAH  J.  WALTER, 

M.  S.  COOPER,  ROSE  WHITNEY, 

ORDIE  A.  LESTER,  ELIOT  M.  CHURCHILL. 

State  Normal  School  Principals  to  President  Oswego  Normal  School 
Local  Board. 

Normal   School, 
Buffalo,  N.  Y.,  Feb.  10,  1880. 
Gilbert  Mollison,  Esq., 

President  Local  Board. 
Sir:— 

At  the  meeting  of  Normal  School  Principals  held  in  October, 
much  concern  was  manifested  in  reference  to  Prof.  Sheldon's  health. 
He,  at  that  time,  expressed  a  determination  to  try  what  effect  a 
partial  release  from  work  might  have,  and  if  he  received  no  great 
benefit,  to  resign  his  Principalship  altogether.  We  all  felt,  and  do 
still  feel,  that  the  Norman  School  work  in  the  State  is  so  much 
indebted  to  him,  and  we  all  esteem  him  so  highly  both  for  what  he 
is  and  for  what  he  had  done,  that  we  are  unwilling  to  part  with 
him  while  there  is  a  chance  of  his  recovering  so  far  as  to  be  able 
to  resume  his  duties.  In  the  name  of  the  Principals,  therefore,  and 
at  their  request,  I  write  to  say,  that  we  earnestly  hope  that  Prof. 
Sheldon  may  have  leave  of  absence  till  his  health  is  restored,  and 
that  in  case  he  should  need  it,  be  prohibited  from  all  work  in  school 
till  that  end  is  secured. 

This  is  not  written  with  any  thought  of  interfering  in  any  way 
in  the  affairs  of  the  Oswego  Local  Board,  or  because  we  feel  it 


202  AUTOBIOGRAPHY 

necessary  to  make  any  suggestions  on  a  point  likely  otherwise  to  be 
overlooked,  but  only  to  add  our  earnest  testimony  to  this  worth  as  a 
man  and  teacher,  and  to  express  our  hope  that  every  effort  will  be 
made  to  retain  hini  in  the  Normal  School. 

In  behalf  of  the  Principals  of  the  Brockport,  Buffalo,  Cortland, 
Geneseo,  Fredonia  and  Potsdam  Normal  Schools. 
I  am  obt.  servant, 

HENRY  B.  BUCKHAM. 


Resolutions  of  Oswego  Normal  School  Faculty. 

Meeting  of  the  faculty  of  the  Oswego  Normal  and  Training 
School,  assembled  at  the  office,  Feb.  14,  1880. 

The  following  preamble  and  resolutions  were  adopted : 

Whereas,  After  fourteen  years  of  superintendence  of  the  Os- 
wego Normal  and  Training  School,  preceded  by  twelve  years  of 
arduous  duties  as  Superintendent  of  the  Schools  of  Oswego  City, 
the  health  of  our  beloved  Principal,  Mr.  E.  A.  Sheldon,  has  become 
seriously  impaired,  and 

Whereas,  by  a  period  of  rest,  we  believe  he  may  be  restored  to 
health  and  usefulness  among  us,  therefore  be  it 

Resolved,  That  the  faculty  of  the  Normal  School,  respectfully 
petition  the  Local  Board  to  grant  Mr.  Sheldon,  a  furlough,  under 
full  pay,  to  September,  i,  18^. 

Resolved,  That  during  Mr.  Sheldon's  absence  from  school,  we 
respectfully  ask  that  Mr.  I.  B.  Poucher  be  appointed  to  act  as  Prin- 
cipal of  the  Normal  School  without  additional  compensation. 

Resolved,  That  the  faculty,  with  the  assistance  of  Mr.  Sheldon's 
daughters,  can,  and  are  willing  to  perform  all  duties  connected  with 
the  school. 

I.  B.  POUCHER, 

Chairman. 
Ordie  A.  Lester, 

Sec'y  pro  tern. 


Oswego  Normal  School  Faculty  to  E.  A.  S. 

Oswego,  Feb.  16,  1880. 
Our  Respected  Principal, — 

It  seems  meet  to  us,  your  associate  teachers,  to  express  to  you 
our  unqualified  dissent  to  that  part  of  our  interview  on  Saturday,  in 
which  you  promised  to  remunerate  the  teachers  who  performed 
your  duties.  This  matter  was  fully  discussed  in  the  faculty  meeting 
and  the  unanimous  conclusion  arrived  at  is,  that  not  a  farthing  of 
your  salary  will  be  recived  by  any  one  of  us,  in  discharge  of  extra 
duties  as  long  as  we  are  able  to  perform  them. 

We  are  all  too  mindful  of  the  many  extra  duties  you  have  per- 
formed in  former  years,  to  consider  this  anything  but  an  act  of  jus- 
tice.    If  by  giving  rest  to  your  overtaxed  system  you  are  again 


EDWARD  AUSTIN  SHELDON  203 

restored  to  health  and  thus  become  able  to  discharge  your  duties, 
your  fellow-teachers  will  feel  themselves  not  only  abundantly  but 
richly  rewarded  for  past  labors  as  well  as  future  toils  and  respon- 
sibilties.  Yours  respectfully, 

ORDIE  A.  LESTER, 
Sec'y  pro  tern. 


Message   to   Mr.  Sheldon  from  Alumni,  at   Their  Meeting  in 
Oswego,  1880. 

Oswego,  N.  Y.,  July  7,  1880. 
Mr.  E.  A.  Sheldon: 

Your  graduated  boys  and  girls  send  warmest  greeting,  heartily 
wishing  that  your  restored  health  and  your  early  return  to  the  halls 
oo  lonesome  without  you  and  to  the  work  that  needs  your  prudent 
direction. 

ALUMNI  OF  OSWEGO  NORMAL  SCHOOL. 

The  magnanimous  spirit  displayed  by  the  members  of  the  Fac- 
ulty reflects  upon  their  own  characters  in  a  way  that  needs  no  ad- 
ditional eulogium. 

In  the  fall  of  1880,  Mr.  Sheldon  was  so  far  restored  that  he  was 
able  to  resume  his  work,  with  a  remittance  of  part  of  his  duties 
to  others. 

Mr.  Sheldon's  conviction  of  the  importance  of  establishing  and 
maintaining  harmonious  relations  with  all  his  co-workers,  is  mani- 
fested in  various  passages  of  this  biography.  He  was  peculiarly 
sucessful  in  securing  such  harmony  with  those  above  him  in  offi- 
cial position,  as  well  as  with  his  executive  inferiors.  It  was  a  re- 
markable record  that  he  made,  throughout  the  successive  changes 
of  administration  in  the  State  Superintendency :  all  the  incumbents 
falling  in  line  to  aid  him  in  his  plans, — some  far  more  zealously 
than  others,  of  course,  according  to  their  own  natural  inclination 
and  ability.  In  one  case,  the  Superintendent  did  not  share  Mr. 
Sheldon's  enthusiasm  for  a  certain  object,  and  failed  to  support 
him  there;  but  this  did  not  mar  their  harmonious  relations  in 
other  regards,  and  they  were  always  warm  friends  and  mutual 
admirers,  hearty  co-workers  for  good.  This  Superintendent  on  re- 
tiring, wrote : 


204  AUTOBIOGRAPHY 

Albany,  N.  Y.,  March  30,  1892. 
Dr.  E.  A.  Sheldon, 

Oswego,  N.  Y. 
My  dear  Sir : 

As  I  am  about  to  retire  from  the  office  of  State  Superintendent, 
I  write  to  express  my  thanks  to  you  for  the  cordial  and  courteous 
support  which  I  have  at  all  times  received  from  your  hand.  It 
has  been  a  great  satisfaction  to  me  that  one  so  experienced  in 
school  affairs,  and  of  such  high  standing  in  the  educational  world, 
should  be  disposed  to  support  my  administration  as  heartily  as 
you  have.  I  hope  that  you  may  be  spared  yet  many  years  to  con- 
tinue the  great  work  which  you  have  so  efficiently  and  successfully 
carried  on,  and  I  hope  also  that  the  severance  of  official  relations 
will  not  terminate  our  pleasant  acquaintance.  It  shall  be  my  effort 
to  keep  in  touch  with  you  in  the  future. 

In  the  meantime,  rest  assured  of  my  sincere  appreciation  of  your 
thoughtful  consideration  of  me  during  the  last  six  years,  and  of 
my  best  wishes  for  your  future. 

I  am,  Very  sincerely  yours, 

A.  S.  DRAPER. 

The  rest  of  the  story  of  Dr.  Sheldon  and  Dr.  Draper  will  be 
saved  for  a  later  chapter. 


CHAPTER  XXXV 

DR.  Sheldon's  personality  as  teacher  and  friend 

[Extracts  from  Letters  and  Ecfitorial.] 
Remembering  what  is  in  the  school,  what  it  has  cost,  I  think 
we  must  love  and  guard  it  always. 

I  wanted  to  write  and  say  "I  thank  you,"  for  myself.  Because  the 
work  has  extended  to  me  and  blessed  my  life  I  want  to  tell  you 
that  I  am  grateful  and  glad.  We  love  you,  dear  Mr.  Sheldon, 
for  all  that  you  have  done  and  for  all  that  you  are  to  us,  and  to 
the  world.   .    .    . 

(Miss)  MARY  E.  LAING. 
St.  Cloud,  Minn. 
[From  a  letter  to  Dr.  Sheldon,  May  4,  1889.] 


I  have  never  known  a  person  to  be  narrow-minded  after  spend- 
ing two  years  in  your  school,  and  this  I  attribute  largely  to  the 
influence — liberal  yet  Christian — of  our  honored  Principal  over 
those  under  his  charge.  .  .   . 

IRVING  WASHBURN. 
Hastings-on-Hudson,  N.  Y. 
[From  a  letter  to  Dr.  Sheldon,  June  30,  1881.] 


Friday  morning  I  received  notice  of  Dr.  Sheldon's  death.  Though 
I  realized  that  he  was  old  and  that  he  was  ill  time  and  again  last 
winter,  yet  the  intelligence  came  to  me  as  a  great  shock. 

It  seems  to  me  that  one  of  Dr.  Sheldon's  most  striking  and  help- 
ful characteristics  was  his  readiness  to  regard  every  one  with 
whom  he  came  in  contact  as  possessed  of  his  own  high  ideals  and 
strength  of  character.  This  was  manifested  in  the  confidence  he 
placed  in  the  students,  and  exerted  a  peculiarly  potent  influence 
upon  them.  One  would  be  base  indeed  who  would  knowingly  do 
that  which  would  render  him  unworthy  of  such  confidence.  .  .  . 
His  own  calmness  and  fortitude  in  his  great  sorrow,  his  cheery 
way  and  his  great  patience  seem  to  indicate  the  manner  in  which 
it  would  be  pleasing  to  him  to  have  us  regard  his  memory. 

How  well  I  recall  that  first  morning  he  was  again  with  us  after 

205 


2o6  AUTOBIOGRAPHY 

Mrs.  Sheldon's  death.  It  seemed  to  me  that  it  would  be  impossi- 
ble for  him  to  resume  his  work  again  at  his  age  after  having 
suffered  such  a  loss.  Yet  there  he  stood  with  the  calmness  of  a 
perfect  peace  upon  his  face.  You  remember  the  first  words  he 
spoke  to  us, — "You  are,  in  a  sense,  my  children  and  children  are 
always  interested  in  that  which  interests  the  father,  and  you  will 
want  to  know  somewhat  of  my  feeling  at  this  time."  Then  how 
lovingly  he  spoke  of  Mrs.  Sheldon  and  of  all  that  she  had  been  to 
him — of  her  great  part  in  his  life  and  work. 

It  has  come  to  me  that  one  of  the  ways  which  make  for  the 
building  up  of  that  which  is  truest  and  best  in  human  lives,  is  this 
according  to  every  individual  right  motives  and  honesty  of  pur- 
pose, inciting  him  to  be  worthy  of  his  treatment.  I  think  very 
few  students,  as  far  as  my  own  observation  went,  ever  caused 
Dr.  Sheldon  to  regret  the  confidence  he  placed  in  them.  .    .    . 

(Miss)    L.  L.  LOVERIDGE, 
Madison,  Ohio. 

[From  a  letter  to  Miss  C.  L  .G.  Scales,  August  31,  1897.] 


Several  letters  have  come  to  light  telling  the  tale  of  how  Mr. 
Sheldon  assisted  pupils  or  friends  in  financial  straits.  This  he  had 
occasion  to  do  many  times,  nor  was  he  the  only  one  in  the  Normal 
School  faculty,  who  thus  put  their  confidence  in  the  students  or 
graduates.  So  far  as  I  know,  Mr.  Sheldon  never  lost  anything  in 
this  way  with  students,  although  I  think  he  did  with  others.  These 
loans  sometimes  ran  a  number  of  years. 

I  cannot  forbear  quoting  a  very  touching  passage  found  in  a 
letter  from  a  friend  (not  a  Normal  student)  who  had  suffered 
extreme  financial  distress  connected  with  atrocious  unkindness  on 
the  part  of  his  employers : 

"I  will  not  write  now  about  the  two  hundred  dollars  you  sent 
me  further  than  to  say  that  it  came  to  me  as  a  precious  boon  in 
time  of  sorest  need — that  I  shall  retain  some  of  it,  using  it  only 
in  distress,  for  it  seems  to  me  different  altogether  from  other  money, 
not  as  mere  money,  but  as  something  invested  with  character 
savoring  of  humanity.  The  circumstance  will  be  one  of  the 
sweetest  memories,  most   miserly  cherished,   of  my  arduous  life." 

Mr.  Sheldon  was  himself  time  and  again  in  financial  distress, 
and  as  he  himself  has  frequently  said,  "all  his  life  a  borrower." 
But  so  strong  was  the  confidence  of  his  acquaintances  in  his  in- 
tegrity and  firmness  of  purpose,  that  he  never  failed  to  obtain 
needed  resources,  with  one  exception,  on  easy  terms.  In  this  one 
exception    he    was    burdened    with    paying    compound    interest    for 


EDWARD  AUSTIN  SHELDON  207 

years.  But  neither  in  this  nor  in  other  cases  did  he  fail  to  meet 
his   agreement,  principal   and  interest. 

Nevertheless,  his  example,  in  borrowing,  while  it  proved  advan- 
tageous to  some  who  knew  and  followed  it,  may  be  fairly  said 
to  have  proved  dangerous  to  others.  Some  who  followed  the  same 
course  to  enable  them  to  carry  out  large  life-plans,  had  not  the 
firmness  of  will  and  the  confidence  of  others,  needed  to  carry  them 
through  to  the  same  happy  result.  I  should  not  feel  justified  in 
speaking  so  frankly  of  this  phase  of  his  life,  did  I  not  add  the 
caution  here  conveyed,  which  seems  to  me  of  the  utmost  import- 
ance. 

A  very  interesting  passage  pertaining  to  the  topic  of  this 
chapter  occurs  in  a  letter  received  by  the  writer  some  years  ago 
from  one  of  our  most  prominent  graduates,  one  who  has  made  her 
activities  useful  in  a  large  way  wherever  she  has  been  placed.  This 
passage  indicates  the  influence  of  Dr.  Sheldon's  character  outside 
of  educational  circles : 

From  Mrs.  Lena  H.  Severance. 

Buflfalo,  October  17,  1897. 


...  I  felt  that  your  father  could  not  live  alone  many  years, 
but  he  is  yet  so  much  needed  it  is  hard  to  feel  we  must  give  him 
up  now.  I  myself  knew  of  work  that  it  seems  to  me  only  he  could 
have  done.  We  have  here  soon  the  National  Meeting  of  the  W.  C. 
T.  U.  In  this  State  as  in  many  others,  compulsory  educational  laws 
have  been  passed  in  regard  to  temperance  instruction  in  schools. 
Your  father  thought  it  the  most  serious  blow  the  temperance  move- 
ment had  ever  had.  It  was  passed  entirely  through  the  efforts  of 
the  W.  C.  T.  U.  The  only  person  to  whom  they  would  have  lis- 
tened was  your  father.  At  the  coming  meeting,  as  local  manager 
for  this  branch  of  the  work,  I  had  hoped  to  have  a  discussion  of 
the  best  method  of  moral  teaching,  between  Mrs.  Hunt,  the  origina- 
tor of  the  law  (and  the  woman  who  has  had  it  passed  in  44  States), 
and  Mr.  Sheldon.  These  women  would  have  listened  to  him  be- 
cause they  knew  him  as  an  ardent  worker  in  their  cause;  and  once 
in  a  receptive  frame  of  mind,  he  could  have  shown  them  the  mis- 
chief they  may  do  through  ignorance  of  the  way  in  which  the  de- 
sired result  can  be  reached. 


2o8  AUTOBIOGRAPHY 

.  I  wish  the  earthly  remains  of  both  your  parents  might 
have  been  laid  to  rest  under  some  of  those  beautiful  trees  out  at 
Shady  Shore.  They  seemed  a  part  of  that  place  and  to  the  end 
of  my  days  I  shall  want  to  make  pilgrimages  there.  Your  father 
was  such  a  patient,  gentle  soul,  and  yet  such  a  tower  of  strength ! 

(Mrs.)  LENA  H.  SEVERANCE. 
Buffalo.  N.  Y.,  October  17,  1897. 


CHAPTER  XXXVI 

THE  POLITICAL  SIDE  OF  DR.  SHELDON's  CAREER 

[Editorial.] 

The  events  of  Dr.  Sheldon's  life  present  many  proofs  that  he 
had  in  him  some  strong  elements  of  the  politician — perhaps  we 
should  rather  say,  of  the  statesman.  He  had  always  not  merely  to 
guide  his  school  steadily  along  the  Pestalozzian  path,  which  re- 
quired the  utmost  care  in  the  selection  of  teachers;  he  had  also 
to  keep  watch  for  its  financial  welfare  and  for  its  very  existence, 
dependent  upon  political  influence  for  twenty  years  after  its  founda- 
tion. 

Reference  has  already  been  made  to  the  efforts  put  forth  to 
secure  its  establishment.  The  struggle  for  its  preservation  and  for 
increased  appropriations,  to  meet  its  growing  needs,  went  on  more 
or  less  for  years,  until,  in  1877,  a  special  effort  was  apparently  made 
to  cut  down  the  Normal  School  appropriations  to  a  crippling  point, 
or  to  wipe  them  out  entirely. 

At  this  time  a  committee  was  appointed  by  Legislature  to  make 
a  tour  of  the  State  Normal  Schools,  to  investigate  what  they  were 
really  doing,  and  to  call  upon  each  teacher  engaged  in  them  to 
argue,  in  special  Faculty  meeting,  for  the  usefulness  of  his  depart- 
ment, to  a  Normal  school.  This  was  a  memorable  occasion  to  the 
writer,  who,  at  a  very  youthful  age,  was  temporaril}'  teaching 
Latin  and  Greek  in  the  Oswego  school,  and  who  had,  in  fact,  no 
very  firm  conviction  as  to  their  importance  there.  It  would  prob- 
ably have  pleased  Dr.  Sheldon  quite  as  well,  if  she  had  inveighed 
against  them.  Supposing  it  to  be  necessary  to  "hold  the  fort,"  how- 
ever, she  made  her  best  effort  to  that  end — much  to  the  private 
amusement  of  the  rest  of  the  Faculty,  who  had  seen  her  grow  up 
from  babyhood,  and  who  probably  also  detected  some  sophistry 
in  her  arguments.  However,  the  public  protest  that  was  made, 
when,  many  years  after,  the  Classical  Department  was  dropped  at 

209 


2IO  AUTOBIOGRAPHY 

the  instigation  of  Dr.  Sheldon,  would  prove  that  there  were  at 
least  plausible  arguments  on  the  side  of  retaining  it. 

The  Committee  reported  favorably  for  the  Normal  Schools,  and 
from  that  time  their  career  was  triumphant. 

In  a  letter  to  Mrs.  Barnes,  some  time  during  the  last  year  of 
his  life.  Dr.  Sheldon  speaks  of  two  very  important  lines  of  work 
for  the  State,  in  which  he  had  engaged : 


My  hobbies,  so  far  as  the  educational  work  of  the  State 
is  concerned,  have  been  "unification,"  and  a  "graded  sys- 
tem of  teachers'  normal  and  training  schools."  (This  term 
training  school  was  first  applied  to  our  own  school.)  At 
an  early  day  I  called  attention  to  the  importance  of  a  system 
of  elementary  training  schools  as  a  part  of  the  greater  sys- 
tem of  professional  schools,  and  read  a  paper  before  the 
Regents'  Convocation  at  Albany.  This  was  in  1888.  This 
led  to  the  appointing  of  a  committee  by  the  Association 
of  Academic  Principals  at  a  subsequent  meeting  to  con- 
sider and  report  on  this  subject.  I  was  made  chairman  of 
this  committee.  This  committee  discussed  plans  of  organi- 
zation, courses  of  instruction,  etc.,  etc. 

To  make  a  long  story  short,  the  outcome  was  the  trans- 
ferring of  teachers'  classes  in  the  Academies  which  were 
under  the  direction  of  the  Board  of  Regents,  to  the  depart- 
ment of  pttblic  instruction  and  the  organization  of  the 
"Elementary  Training  Schools"  which  have  been  very 
much  perfected  since,  and  are  likely  to  be  very  much  more 
improved.  They  are  the  lowest  grade  in  the  system  of 
training  schools.  The  regular  Normal  Schools  are  the  next 
grade,  which  ought  also  to  be  graded,  as  I  have  always 
contended.  To  a  limited  extent  this  is  also  being  accom- 
plished. The  Oswego  School  has  broken  away,  as  you 
know.  Three  of  the  schools  have  also  adopted  a  course 
for  the  special  training  of  primary  and  kindergarten  teach- 
ers, a  course  that  I  have  long  been  working  for  and  have 
only  been  able  to  accomplish  during  the  past  year.     Fur- 


EDWARD  AUSTIN  SHELDON  211 

ther  grading  ought  to  be  made,  but  I  have  been  stoutly 
opposed  in  this  by  the  other  principals,  who  do  not  like  to 
give  up  anything  they  already  have.  The  consequence  is 
that  they  are  all  top-heavy,  and  can  do  nothing  well  in  the 
multitude  of  things  they  undertake  to  do.  The  next  grade 
that  ought  to  be  established,  and  which  is  sure  to  come,  is 
the  university  training  school  for  the  training  of  high 
school  teachers.  I  think  such  a  school  will  be  established 
at  Cornell  very  soon.  It  is  already  being  seriously  dis- 
cussed. The  State  Superintendent  favors  it,  and  they  want 
it  at  Cornell.  I  should  not  be  at  all  surprised  if  an  act  is 
passed  this  winter  establishing  such  a  department.     . 

Probably  his  efforts  in  behalf  of  "Unification"  cost  Dr.  Sheldon 
more  time  and  labor,  extending  through  a  longer  period  of  years, 
than  any  other  cause  that  he  took  up,  outside  of  immediate  school 
work.     Of  this,  he  continues,  in  the  above  letter,  as  follows : 

My  efforts  at  unification  never  materialized.  It  was 
in  the  winter  of  1874  that  I  suggested  to  the  principals  of 
the  Normal  Schools  of  the  State  that  we  make  an  effort  to 
unite  all  the  educational  interests  of  the  State  under  one 
head.  At  that  time  there  was  a  very  bitter  state  of  feeling 
existing  between  the  Board  of  Regents  and  the  Depart- 
ment of  Public  Intsruction  and  the  schools  belonging  to 
these  two  departments. 

The  principals  approved  of  the  proposition,  and  sent  Dr. 
McVicar  and  myself  to  Albany  to  accomplish  this  object  if 
possible.  We  drafted  an  act  and  submitted  it  to  the  Legis- 
lature    .    . 

I  canvassed  all  parts  of  the  State  quite  thoroughly,  visiting 
members  of  the  Board  of  Regents,  leading  educational  men, 
the  leading  newspapers  of  the  State,  and  carried  a  very 
strong  sentiment  with  us  in  favor  of  the  plan.  We  also 
called  a  conference  of  the  more  prominent  educational  men 
of  the  State  at  Albany,  who  also  favored  the  scheme.  The 
Board  of  Regents  was  heart  and  hand  with  us,  as  was  also 


212  AUTOBIOGRAPHY 

Mr.  Abram  B.  Weaver,  the  retiring  superintendent.  The 
bill  was  killed,  nevertheless  in  the  Legislature. 

I  made  another  effort  at  the  time  of  the  election  of  Mr. 
Draper,  in  1886.*  Again,  in  1894,  before  the  constitutional 
convention  for  the  amendment  of  the  constitution  of  the 
State,  I  tried  to  get  the  plan  inaugurated  in  the  constitu- 
tion, but  I  was  left  rather  single-handed,  and  my  efforts 
failed  for  want  of  proper  support. 

In  the  meantime  the  Regents  have  been  entrenching  them- 
selves more  and  more  strongly,  and  it  is  doubtful  whether 
"unification"  will  ever  be  realized. 

Great  good,  however,  has  grown  out  of  the  movement. 
It  has  tended  to  bring  together  and  regulate  the  educational 
work  of  the  State,  and  effect  a  good  state  of  feeling  between 
the  educational  men  belonging  to  the  two  departments.  In 
this  way  a  great  gain  has  been  made,  and  so  I  feel  that  my 
work  has  not  been  altogether  vain. 

Pres.  A.  D.   White  to  E.  A.  S. 

The  Cornell  University, 
Ithaca,  N.  Y.,  Aug.  7,  1876. 
Prof.  E.  A.  Sheldon, 

Principal  State  Normal  School. 
(My  Dear  Sir: 

Returning  to  Ithaca  I  find  your  kind  letter.  Your  deliberate 
approval  of  our  system  of  instruction,  evidenced  as  it  is  by  your 
decision  to  send  those  in  whom  you  take  the  deepest  interest,  is,  I 
assure  you,  no  small  gratification  to  me.  Such  testimonies,  after  the 
struggle  we  have  had  to  make,  are  calculated  to  give  courage  for  any 
future  struggle. 

I  acquiesce  without  reserve  in  your  idea  as  to  the  desirability 
of  making  a  diploma  of  graduation  from  the  State  Normal  Schools 
a  sufficient  evidence  of  good  study  to  enable  the  bearer  to  enter 
here  without  further  examination  in  the  branches  taught  in  such 
schools.  At  the  next  meeting  of  our  faculty  I  will  bring  the  matter 
up,  and,  as  I  hope,  be  able  to  carry  it  through. 

To  bring  this  University  into  a  close,  vital  connection  with  the 
whole  system  of  public  education  in  our  State  has  always  been  one 
of  the  leading  aims  of  my  ambition ;  and  I  see  in  your  proposal  an 
important  means  in  its  accomplishment. 

•.Significant  extracts  from  an  address  delivered  by  Dr.  Sheldon  on 
"Unification,"  at  this  time  will  be  found  In  the  Appendix. 


EDWARD  AUSTIN  SHELDON  213 

You  spoke  of  one  or  two  other  thoughts  which  you  had  intended 
to  present.  I  shall  be  truly  glad  to  receive  them  whenever  con- 
venient to  you  to  put  them  on  paper.   .    .    . 

Very  respectfully  and  truly  yours, 

ANDREW  D.  WHITE. 


Prin.  H.  B.  Buckham  to  E.  A.  S. 

Buffalo,  N.  Y.,  March  11,  1877. 
Dear  Sir : — 

I  am  not  content  to  let  our  school  matters  rest  as  they  are,  with 
the  certainty  of  a  renewed  and  more  hopeful  attack  next  year.  I 
think  we  ought  to  go  to  the  root  of  the  matter  at  once.  Will  you 
join  the  other  principals  in  a  petition  for  the  appointment  of  a  Com- 
mission to  inquire  carefully  into,  and  report  to  the  next  Legislature 
upon  these  points? 

1.  The  putting  of  all  common  schools  and  their  officers  under 
one  management. 

2.  The  requiring  of  a  minimum  of  Normal  Training  for  all 
teachers  of  common  schools. 

3.  Some  means  of  putting  Normal  Schools  into  more  direct 
contact  with  common  schools. 

4.  Course  of  study  in  Normal  Schools,  and  the  connection  of 
Academic  departments  therewith. 

5.  Teachers'  classes  and  Teachers'  Institutes  and  how  to  make 
them  work  in  harmony  with  Normal  Schools. 

If  you  will  do  this,  give  me  your  notion  of  the  Commission.  I 
should  say  the  Superintendent,  a  Regent,  a  Commissioner,  a  Normal 
School  man,  and  a  College  man. 

Yours, 

H.  B.  BUCKHAM. 

Dr.  Sheldon  died  without  seeing  the  accomplishment  of  the 
object  for  which  he  had  worked  so  long;  and,  in  fact,  as  his  words 
prove,  having  abandoned  the  hope  that  it  ever  would  be  achieved. 
But  the  life  energies  that  had  been  expended  in  its  behalf  had  not 
been  dissipated.  In  the  full  course  of  time  they  developed  the  long- 
desired  fruit. 


CHAPTER  XXXVII 

REVIEW  AND  REMINISCENCE 
By  Mary  Sheldon  Barnes. 

Some  circumstances  of  Dr.  Sheldon's  life  escaped  mention,  or 
were  treated  too  briefly  in  the  autobiography,  owing  to  the  frag- 
mentary, hasty  way  in  which  it  was  necessarily  written,  and  prob- 
ably somewhat  to  the  doubt  of  the  author  about  its  ever  being  pub- 
lished. The  missing  material  cannot  be  presented  in  a  better  way 
than  has  already  been  done  by  his  daughter,  Mary  Sheldon  Barnes, 
in  two  articles :  one  written  for  the  Quarter-Centennial  book  of  the 
Oswego  Training  School,  published  in  1887,  and  the  other  for  "The 
School  Journal,"  New  York,  immediately  after  Dr.  Sheldon's  de- 
cease, 1897. 

In  the  following  extracts,  the  contents  of  the  two  articles  are 
combined,  in  such  a  way  as  to  sustain  the  connection.  They  are 
given,  not  always  as  presenting  new  matter,  but  in  some  instances 
because  they  throw  main  points  into  a  strong  light,  and  so  form  a 
striking  review. — Editor. 

My  father's  life  falls  naturally  into  three  periods:  that 
of  his  youth  and  early  manhood — a  preparatory  period ;  that 
of  organizing  the  public  school  system  in  Oswego,  and  the 
training  school  for  teachers  that  grew  out  of  that  system — 
a  period  of  rapid  and  strenuous  development ;  and,  finally,  a 
period  during  which  his  ideas  and  methods  diffused  them- 
selves over  a  wide  area — a  period  of  naturally  growing  pros- 
perity and  success. 

His  work  and  his  life  all  center  about  the  beloved  school 
whose  destinies  he  moulded  from  1861  to  the  day  of  his 
death.  The  Oswego  school  during  all  that  time  stood  as  an 
experiment  station  in  Pestalozzian  method,  and  as  a  group 
of  vigorous  and  original  personalities,  all  working  with  won- 

214 


EDWARD  AUSTIN  SHELDON  215 

derful  devotion  to  their  leader,  whose  loving  heart  and  pro- 
gressive will  was  felt  through  every  day  in  every  act. 

While  yet  a  teacher  of  his  beloved  "ragged  school,"  my 
father  had  married  Miss  Frances  Stiles,  and  to  this  union 
he  always  accredited — and  to  my  mind,  truly — a  large  part 
of  his  success.  My  mother  was  not  only  beautiful  and  ac- 
complished in  all  social  graces,  but  she  had  great  fortitude 
of  character,  wide  and  warm  intellectual  interests,  and  an 
unusual  education  for  a  woman  of  her  generation.  She  had 
need  of  all  those  gifts;  for  she  was  not  only  to  be  the 
mother  of  five  children,  but  the  helpmeet  of  her  husband 
through  years  of  poverty,  of  hard,  and  often  excessive, 
labor,  of  all  the  opposition  and  friction  which  his  original 
and  determined  character  was  to  bring  upon  them.  But  her 
soul  was  pre-eminent  in  cheerfulness,  in  courage,  in  faith 
and  love,  and  my  father  always  found  in  his  home  happi- 
ness, brightness  and  complete  understanding  and  faith — 
secret  sources  of  unflinching  energy  and  strength. 

In  the  temperorary  defeat  of  the  free  school  party,  my 
father  tried  to  start  a  private  school,  but  before  it  was 
fairly  begun  he  obtained  the  appointment  of  superintendent 
of  public  schools  in  Syracuse.  During  the  two  or  three 
years  in  which  he  held  this  office,  he  consolidated,  graded, 
and  organized  the  lower  schools,  brought  together  various 
ill-kept  collections  of  books  into  a  central  library,  to-day 
one  of  the  most  flourishing  and  valuable  possessions  of 
Syracuse,  and  gave  the  impulse  and  the  plan  which  resulted 
in  the  foundation  of  one  of  the  finest  high  schools  in  our 
State.  His  report  was  the  first  annual  school  report  of 
Syracuse. 

The  free-school  party,  of  Oswego,  meanwhile,  being  "in 
harmony  with  the  constitution  of  things,"  had  come  to  the 
day  of  their  success,  and  called  my  father  back  to  organize 
and  shape  their  new  system.  In  May,  1853,  he  became  the 
first  superintendent  of  schools  in  Oswego,  and  in  Septem- 
ber the  schools  were  ready  to  start. 


2i6  AUTOBIOGRAPHY 

The  schools  were  organized ;  his  active  mind  began  to  re- 
flect on  their  curriculum  and  method ;  and  to  his  fresh 
and  practical  insight,  they  seemed  not  to  meet  the  actual 
needs  of  human  nature.  He  felt  that  they  were  a  long  way 
off  from  the  real  world  of  matter  and  force;  that  children 
were  naturally  and  righteously  interested  in  the  objective 
world,  in  their  own  bodies,  in  their  vital  relations  to  things 
and  each  other.  In  this  mood  he  visited  Toronto,  and  then 
saw — not  in  the  schools,  but  in  a  museum — a  collection  of 
teaching  appliances  from  the  Home  and  Colonial  School,  in 
London,  that  seemed  to  suit  his  sense  of  fitness.  Well  do 
I  remember  the  delight  with  which  he  returned  from  his 
visit,  importing  samples  of  what  he  wanted. 

The  dark  shelves  of  the  little  closets  opening  off  from 
the  dingy  office  where  my  father  worked  all  day  were  filled 
with  wonders  delightful  to  my  childish  eyes,  and  to  his 
own  as  well.  We  used  to  talk  them  over — colored  balls  and 
cards,  bright-colored  pictures  of  animals,  building  blocks, 
silk-worm  cocoons,  cotton-balls,  specimens  of  pottery  and 
glass. 

In  the  annual  report  for  that  same  year,  ending  March 
31,  i860,  appeared  an  epoch-making  programme,  laid  out 
along  distinctly  Pestalozzian  lines.  This  programme  con- 
tained conversational  exercises,  moral  instruction,  physical 
actions  and  employments,  lessons  on  form,  color,  size, 
weight,  and  number,  animals,  human  body,  common  objects, 
gymnastics,  singing,  and  drawing,  as  well  as  reading,  writ- 
ing, and  spelling.  In  connection  with  it,  my  father  wrote 
this  paragraph,  which  admirably  embodies  his  whole  ideal 
and  philosophy  of  practical  instruction : 

"In  this  plan  of  studies  the  object  is  not  so  much  to  im- 
part information  as  to  educate  the  senses,  and  awaken  a 
spirit  of  inquiry.  To  this  end  the  pupils  must  be  en- 
couraged to  do  most  of  the  talking  and  acting.  They  must 
be  allowed  to  draw  their  own  conclusions,  and  if  wrong, 
led  to  correct  them.     The  books  should  only  be  used  for 


EDWARD  AUSTIN  SHELDON  217 

reference,  and  as  models  for  the  lessons  to  be  given.  The 
children  should  be  allowed  to  have  two  short  recesses  of 
ten  minutes  each,  morning  and  afternoon,  and  gymnastic  and 
singing  exercises  should  be  frequently  introduced,  to  give 
change  of  position  and  rest  to  the  children,  and  keep  up  an 
animated  and  pleasant  state  of  feeling.  The  younger  chil- 
dren should  not  be  detained  at  the  school  building  to  exceed 
four  hours  each  day ;  and  the  older  ones  may  be  excused  as 
they  get  through  with  their  exercises." 

When  this  programme  was  offered,  the  board  of  educa- 
tion trusted  and  "stood  by,"  the  teachers  were  frightened, 
the  parents  were  unconscious,  or  astonished  and  doubtful,  the 
children  rejoiced.  My  father  was  immediately  drawn  into 
the  work  of  helping  his  teachers;  he  was  constantly  with 
them  in  their  school-rooms;  he  met  them  every  Saturday 
morning  for  a  long  discussion  of  their  needs  and  troubles. 
By  the  end  of  the  year  every  one  felt  the  need  of  a  special 
training  class  for  teachers  who  were  to  do  this  real  sort 
of  work ;  and  they  naturally  looked  for  a  trainer  to  the 
Home  and  Colonial  Training  Institution  in  London,  a  school 
founded  by  a  pupil  and  friend  of  Pestalozzi.  It  is  charac- 
teristic of  the  courage  of  my  father's  nature  that  he  proposed 
to  import  such  a  trainer,  even  on  the  hard  condition  named 
by  the  Board,  that  it  "should  not  cost  the  city  a  single 
cent" ;  and  it  is  characteristic  of  the  devotion  felt  for  him 
by  his  fellow-workers  that  he  was  able  to  persuade  many  of 
his  teachers  to  resign  a  part  of  their  meagre  salaries  to  pay 
for  this  importation,  in  lieu  of  the  instruction  they  should 
obtain.  In  this  way  and  others  the  money  was  raised,  the 
London  trainer  came,  and  the  training  work  began  in  May, 
1861,  in  the  form  of  a  city  training  school — the  first  of  its 
kind.  This  soon  broadened  to  a  training  school  for  primary 
teachers,  and  in  1865  it  was  incorporated  as  the  Oswego 
State  Normal  and  Training  School,  with  my  father  as  prin- 
cipal, and  Herman  Krusi,  a  former  teacher  in  the  Home 


2i8  AUTOBIOGRAPHY 

and  Colonial,  the  son  of  one  of  Pestalozzi's  closest  asso- 
ciates, as  a  living  link  between  him  and  Pestalozzi. 

These  years  from  i860  to  1870  were  the  epic  years  of 
my  father's  life,  and  perhaps  were  stirred  into  higher  acti- 
vity by  the  fact  that  they  were  epic  years  in  the  natural 
life.  He  was  determined  to  enlist  for  the  war,  but  was 
rejected  for  physical  reasons;  but  every  day  of  the  long 
struggle  was  watched  with  the  highest  interest,  often  rising 
into  excitment.  I  never  saw  my  father  so  hilarious  as  on 
the  day  of  Lee's  surrender;  he  came  home  with  a  little 
flag  stuck  in  his  hat,  and  there  was  nothing  more  but  festi- 
val on  that  day ;  and  I  never  saw  him  so  overwhelmed  with 
any  public  grief  as  when  Lincoln  was  assassinated.  Just 
because  the  times  were  great  and  stirring,  I  believe  he  found 
it  easier  to  live  through  these  hard  and  stirring  years  of 
his  own  life.  This  story  has  often  been  told  in  connection 
with  his  school ;  the  violent  opposition  of  the  older  school 
men,  the  distrust  and  fear  of  the  Oswego  parents,  the  com- 
mittee of  investigation  appointed  by  the  National  Associa- 
tion, their  favorable  report,  the  national  interest  at  length 
awakened  in  Pestalozzian  methods,  and  in  the  training  of 
teachers.  Through  all,  he  was  supported  by  the  warm  de- 
votion of  a  group  of  friends  in  his  faculty  and  board  who 
believed  in  him  with  all  their  hearts. 

With  all  this  active  life  of  the  reformer,  organizer,  and 
propagandist,  my  father  was  engaged  as  an  author,  as  well. 
In  1862  the  Scribners  brought  out  his  "Manual  of  Element- 
ary Instruction,"  and  in  1863,  his  "Lessons  on  Objects." 

As  principal  of  the  young  Training  School,  a  place  which 
fell  to  him  naturally,  he  was  involved  in  an  ever  increasing 
correspondence  and  a  certain  amount  of  teaching.  As  super- 
intendent of  the  City  Schools,  he  was  necessarily  engaged 
in  a  heavy  and  perpetual  routine  of  visiting  schools,  keeping 
accounts,  looking  after  cases  of  discipline,  making  out  ex- 
amination questions  and  marking  examination  papers — in 
short,  in  the  thousand   petty  details  known  only  to  one 


EDWARD  AUSTIN  SHELDON  219 

familiar  with  the  business.  These  were  the  bare  neces- 
sities of  the  case ;  add  to  these  the  care  of  the  city  Hbrary, 
the  preparation  of  various  papers  and  addresses — the  edit- 
ing and  publication  of  the  manuals — the  preparation  of  a  set 
of  Reading  Charts  and  Books — active  labors  in  the  Sunday 
School  and  Church — the  cares  of  a  growing  family,  lately 
transplanted  to  the  newly  finished  house  by  the  lake,  which 
has  since  become  our  dear,  familiar  home. 

It  will  be  readily  understood  that  my  father's  day  was  a 
busy  one.  He  invariably  rose  at  five,  and,  after  lighting 
the  fires,  wrote  or  studied  until  a  seven  o'clock  breakfast. 
After  this,  he  was  off  for  his  schools,  taking  with  him  his 
children  and  a  cold  lunch,  returning  home  at  five  or  six  for 
dinner ;  he  generally  spent  two  hours  or  more  in  study  or 
work  before  retiring  at  ten  or  half  past.  These  studies  were 
of  the  most  various  sort;  sometimes  the  relation  of  sub- 
jects in  the  curriculum;  sometimes  readings  in  Hamilton, 
or  Spencer,  or  Locke ;  sometimes  "Barnard's  Journal" ; 
sometimes  Harris'  "Insects  Injurious  to  Vegetation."  This 
latter  book  was  quite  a  classic  with  my  father  and  me.  We 
would  sit  in  an  unfurnished  room  of  our  unfinished  house 
of  an  evening,  with  the  light  burning,  so  as  to  attract  insects 
in  at  the  open  windows.  Since  our  house  was  in  the  woods, 
just  broken  by  clearing,  we  would  soon  have  a  delightful 
collection  of  moths,  beetles,  and  flies,  which  we  caught, 
killed,  and  then  tried  to  determine  by  comparison  with  his 
book,  an  operation  in  which  my  father  found  me  an  en- 
thusiastic, rather  than  valuable  assistant.  This  keen  and 
special  interest  in  insects,  came  about  from  the  fact  that  my 
father's  own  work  in  the  young  training  school  was  for 
some  time  zoology,  and  he  saw  that,  with  masses  of  chil- 
dren, insects  gave  one  of  the  easiest  and  most  inviting  en- 
trances to  the  whole  domain  of  organic  life.  This  idea, 
however,  cost  him  much  persecution  and  ridicule  in  various 
quarters,  from  those  who  could  not  readily  understand  the 


220  AUTOBIOGRAPHY 

connection  between  grasshoppers  and  a  well-educated  child, 
not  knowing  grasshoppers  very  well  themselves. 

My  father  delighted  in  his  work;  rejoiced  in  it;  so  that 
he  felt  the  need  of  recreation  less  than  most  men.  Still 
he  found  it  in  his  family,  in  his  orchard,  in  trimming  the 
trees  of  the  natural  grove  by  Lake  Ontario,  where  he  had 
planted  his  home.  He  had,  moreover,  a  strong  and  sus- 
taining religious  life,  which  gave  him  faith  in  the  righteous- 
ness and  value  of  life,  and  not  a  week  passed  by  without 
its  seasons  of  earnest,  solitary  prayer. 

Nothing  succeeds  like  success.  With  1865,  honors  and 
prosperity  began  to  come.  In  1862  he  was  elected  super- 
intendent of  the  schools  in  Troy,  but  declined  the  honor, 
although  the  place  was  more  important  and  central  than 
Oswego,  and  the  salary  larger  by  some  hundreds  than  that 
he  then  received,  for  the  simple,  but  sufficient  reason  that 
he  felt  that  his  training-school  work  was  not  yet  ripe  for 
an  independent  life.  The  books  on  methods  not  only 
stirred  up  teachers  throughout  our  own  country,  but  had  a 
large  sale  in  England  itself,  as  we  heard,  Oswego  became 
a  sort  of  educational  pilgrimage-point ;  in  1865  came  the 
formal  action  of  the  National  Educational  Committee,  en- 
dorsing the  Oswego  methods  as  sound.  In  1867  my  father 
was  invited  to  found  a  pedagogical  department  in  the  Uni- 
versity of  Missouri,  and  in  the  same  year  he  was  strongly 
urged  to  become  principal  of  the  State  Normal  School  in 
Albany.  Nothing  is  more  characteristic  than  the  way  in 
which  my  father  refused  these  offers.  In  answer  to  the 
Albany  offer,  he  replied : 

"I  have  endeavored  to  put  myself  in  a  position  of  willing- 
ness to  pursue  the  line  of  duty,  without  any  reference  to 
personal  inclinations,  seeking  simply  to  know  my  Father's 
will,  and  to  do  it.  I  am  told  positively  that  should  I  leave, 
all  further  effort  for  this  school  will  be  abandoned,  and  that 
it  cannot  be  sustained.  I  know  much  yet  remains  to  be  done 
for  this  school ;  there  are  others  who  can  do  this  as  well 


EDWARD  AUSTIN  SHELDON  221 

as  I,  but  this  makes  little  difference  as  long  as  the  feeling 
is  such  as  it  is.  It  would  not  be  right  for  me  to  jeopardize 
the  interests  here,  unless  a  greater  good  could  be  accom- 
plished elsewhere.  I  can  assure  you  I  have  carefully  and 
prayerfully  weighed  the  whole  matter,  and  after  a  severe 
conflict  between  inclination  and  a  sense  of  duty,  I  am  led  to 
decline  your  flattering  offer." 

From  1869,  the  story  of  my  father's  life  passes  into  the 
larger  life  of  the  school  he  had  founded.  The  training 
school  had  become  the  State  Normal  and  Training  School, 
and  demanded  his  energies  so  completely  that  in  September, 
1869,  he  resigned  his  place  as  superintendent  of  the  City 
Schools  and  gave  himself  entirely  to  the  duties  of  this 
principalship.  At  this  time,  too,  he  received  the  degree 
of  A.  M.  from  Hamilton,  an  honor  all  the  more  gratifying 
from  the  fact  that  he  had  been  unable  to  take  his  first  de- 
gree.* 

He  had  still  to  experience  a  deal  of  local  opposition  to  his 
work.  In  1872  began  what  my  father  always  designated 
as  the  "big  fight" ;  yet  it  was  confined  to  the  city  of  Os- 
wego, and  began  by  the  offering  of  the  following  proposition 
to  the  Board  of  Education  in  that  city: 

"Resolved,  That  we  discontinue  object  teaching  in  our 
junior  schools  and  substitute  instead  Cornell's  Primary  Geo- 
graphy and  Appleton's  Elementary  Arithmetic." 

This  simple,  intelligible  and  intelligent  (?)  resolution 
was  the  opening  of  a  most  severe  and  bitter  attack  upon 
what  was  understood  as  object  teaching.  This  attack  lasted 
the  better  part  of  a  year,  and  its  grounds,  as  appearing  in 
the  papers,  were,  that  the  pupils  did  not  easily  pass  from 
one  grade  to  another,  that  teachers  and  parents  wished  text- 
books instead  of  oral  lessons,  that  the  expense  of  sending 
children  to  school  was  greatly  increased  by  having  to  buy 
so  many  text-books,  that  the  pupils  were  not  able  to  pass 
regents'  examinations,  that  the  pupils  were  held  in  school 

•To  this  was  added.  In   1875,  the  degree  of  Ph.  D.   from  the  Regents  of 
the  University  of  New  Yorli. 


222  AUTOBIOGRAPHY 

longer  than  formerly,  and  that  the  number  of  teachers  had 
been  increased. 

My  father  had  before  encountered  opposition ;  he  had,  in 
earlier  years,  been  accused  of  teaching  the  children  "cruel- 
ty," on  account  of  the  collecting  furore  roused  by  some 
lessons  on  insects ;  he  had  been  nick-named  "The  Pope" 
on  account  of  his  predominant  influence  in  the  Board  of 
Education ;  he  had  had  to  meet  sarcastic  and  serious  criti- 
cism of  Pestalozzian  principles,  but  never  had  he  met  any- 
thing so  bitter,  personal  and  discouraging  as  this  local  at- 
tack ;  its  nature  and  spirit  can  best  be  shown  by  the  follow- 
ing extracts  from  the  daily  papers  of  the  time: 

"This  system,  whatever  it  is  *  *  *  was  introduced  here 
under  the  personal  supervision  and  direction  of  its  most 
eminent  advocate.  We  had  almost  said  its  inventor.  He 
selected  and  trained  his  teachers,  without  let  or  hindrance, 
and  has  succeeded  in  one  way  and  another,  in  working  out 
of  their  situations  nearly  every  teacher  not  especially 
trained  in  his  methods,  or  who  differed  with  him  as  to  their 
value." 

"I  believe  nine  out  of  ten  heads  of  families  here  look 
upon  the  Oswego  system  of  schools  as  a  mischievous,  ex- 
pensive and  cruel  humbug.  *  '•'•  *  H  your  correspondent,  Mr. 
Editor,  had  the  management  of  public  education  in  this  city, 
he  would  make  many  changes.  In  the  first  place,  he  would 
discontinue  the  High  School.  *  *  *  There  is  no  justice  or 
propriety  in  levying  a  tax  upon  the  whole  people  to  teach 
a  few  children  botany  or  geometry  or  Latin.  *  *  *  He  would 
drop  from  the  (public  school)  course  of  study  everything 
but  reading,  writing,  arithmetic,  geography  and  grammar. 
*  *  *  In  the  next  place,  he  would  return  to  the  kind  and 
form  of  school-books  that  were  in  use  twenty-five  years 
ago.  *  *  *  Object  teaching  and  gymnastics  should  be  sent 
out  of  doors  again.  Does  a  child  need  to  go  to  school  to 
learn  about  light  and  heavy,  about  rough  and  smooth  ?  *  *  * 
Are  our  children  more  muscular  or  more  symmetrical  than 


EDWARD  AUSTIN  SHELDON  223 

they  were  before  they  were  taught  to  paw  the  air  in  rhythm? 
*  *  *  The  introduction  of  this  principle  has  of  late  tended 
to  increase  the  number  of  teachers.  *  *  *  The  more 
teachers  we  have,  the  higher  price,  of  course,  we  must  pay 
for  each.  A  diminished  demand  would  be  more  economic- 
ally supplied." 

"The  Pestalozzian  propagandists  are  just  now  filling  the 
Press  with  interminably  long  and  dreary  articles  on  the 
'great  underlying  principles'  of  the  'Objective  Methods  of 
Teaching.'  Nobody  but  the  man  who  writes  these  wrong 
ivanderings  reads  them,  and  they  are  consequently  unworthy 
of  serious  consideration.  At  the  election  in  May  the  people 
will  have  something  to  say  about  a  system  by  which  they 
have  been  humbugged  out  of  large  sums  of  money  and  an 
incalculable  amount  of  time." 

"The  tax-payers  of  Oswego  will  see  to  it  that  their  schools 
shall  be  run  in  the  interests  of  sound  practical  education, 
and  not  *  *  *  to  build  up  fortunes  of  Book  Publishing 
Rings,  and  Pestalozzian  monomaniacs." 

"We  have  very  little  hope  that  the  people  will  effect  a 
reform  in  this  matter.  Too  many  men  live  by  this  humbug 
to  render  it  easy  of  destruction." 

"We  have  yet  to  hear  of  a  person  outside  of  the  Pesta- 
lozzi  Ring,  who  does  not  believe  that  Objective  Teaching 
in  Oswego  schools  has  failed." 

"We  have  yet  to  find  a  person  not  directly  interested 
in  the  profits  of  'the  system,'  who  does  not  agree  with  us 
that  Reading,  Writing,  English  Grammar,  Arithmetic  and 
Geography — and  those  branches  only — should  be  taught  in 
the  Public  Schools  at  the  public  expense." 

"Teachers  can  keep  carriages.  Common  Council  men  have 
to  travel  on  foot." 

Aided  by  a  few  strong  friends,  my  father  met  these 
charges  seriously  and  temperately ;  admitted  that  mistakes 


224  AUTOBIOGRAPHY 

might  have  been  made,  indicated  some  errors  of  administra- 
tion, and  in  a  series  of  careful  papers  tried  to  show  the  good 
people  of  Oswego  the  innermost  meaning  and  drift  of 
objective  methods.  Nevertheless,  the  "popular  reform"  was 
carried ;  lessons  in  color,  form,  size,  animals  and  plans  were 
thrown  out  of  the  programme  after  the  close  of  the  first  pri- 
mary year;  map-drawing  was  a  thing  of  the  past;  "Cor- 
nell's Geography  and  Appleton's  Arithmetic"  had  a  clear 
field;  no  teachers  were  to  be  employed  who  were  not  na- 
tives of  Oswego;  for  a  short  time,  the  High  School  itself 
was  abolished;  and  by  these  measures.  Objective  MetJwds 
were  supposed  to  be  slain. 

Before  1880,  years  of  toil  and  labor  began  to  tell  upon 
my  father's  firm  constitution,  and  in  1879  he  felt  that  he 
must  resign  his  place  as  principal  of  the  school,  which  had 
become  a  part  of  his  very  Hfe.  It  was  then  that  strong 
friendships  came  forward  to  sustain  him ;  the  Normal 
School  Board  would  accept  only  a  temporary  resignation, 
and  insisted  upon  continuing  his  salary ;  his  faculty,  hard- 
worked  as  they  always  were,  generously  divided  his  work 
among  themselves,  in  order  that  he  still  might  keep  hl= 
place ;  and  this  was  no  sudden  impulse,  but  through  all  the 
dark,  depressing  months  of  a  prolonged  nervous  prostration, 
with  its  slow  and  seemingly  uncertain  recovery,  his  friends 
never  failed  in  their  constancy  and  helpfulness.  It  was 
during  these  dark  days  that  my  father  turned  to  country 
life  again,  and  in  light  occupation  about  his  orchard,  about 
his  hens  and  bees,  began  to  find  returning  interest,  and, 
as  days  went  on,  returning  health  and  hope ;  1881  saw  him 
once  more  ready  to  enter  upon  the  full  duties  of  his  princi- 
palship,  which  he  has  since  held  with  ever-increasing  vigor. 
With  these  exceptions,  his  work  progressed  strongly  and 
constantly.     In   1874  he  brought  out  with  the  Scribners  a 

series  of  "Readers,"  which  had  great  vogue;  in  1881   he 
added  a  kindergarten  and  a  kindergarten  training  class  to 

the  school,  the  first  department  of  this  sort  in  a  normal 


EDWARD  AUSTIN  SHELDON  225 

school;  in  1886  he  opened  shops  for  the  training  of  teachers 
rn  industrial  work. 

In  this  year  occurred  the  Quarter-Centennial  celebration 
of  the  school,  an  occasion  which  assembled  not  only  Alumni, 
but  prominient  educators  from  all  over  the  country,  to  as- 
sist in  what  was  certainly  one  of  the  most  heart- felt  jubilees 
that  ever  took  place.  It  partook  of  the  nature  of  a  friendly 
gathering,  besides  presenting  a  demonstration  of  the  tre- 
mendous growth  of  an  idea  deeply  affecting  the  welfare  of 
the  public. 

In  this  year  it  may  be  said  of  my  father's  particular  lines 
of  activity,  that  he  was  at  work  on  three  practical  problems. 
One  was,  how  best  to  connect  the  Kindergarten  smoothly 
with  the  primary  schools ;  the  second,  the  unification  of 
the  school  systems  of  New  York  State;  the  third,  how  to 
elicit  from  industrial  work  its  true  educational  value. 

But  the  prime  study  absorbing  his  mind,  was  one  of 
theory,  and  perhaps  even  more  fundamental  than  these: 
What  are  the  psychological  facts  which  should  underly  our 
educational  methods?  What  can  children  themselves  teach 
us  of  the  ways  by  which  they  acquire  knowledge,  and  de- 
velop mental  power?  This  study  led  him  to  invite  to  our 
school,  from  the  University  of  Jena,  Germany,  Dr.  Mohl- 
berg,  a  disciple  of  the  famous  Herbart.  With  his  aid  he 
hoped  to  make  some  genuine  progress  in  enlarging  the 
psychological  outlook  of  our  teachers  and  in  making  our 
methods  more  soundly  philosophical. 

At  the  World's  Fair  of  1893  ^^e  was  made  president  of 
the  department  of  professional  training  of  teachers,  and 
received  for  the  Oswego  school  a  medal  of  honor,  and  a 
diploma  "For  excellence  of  equipment,  method,  and  wide 
usefulness  throughout  its  long  history  under  one  principal. 
For  excellence  of  educational  methods  and  literature,  as 
evidenced  by  their  use  in  the  United  States." 

Wherever  he  went  in  these  last  years  he  was  received 
by  his  old  pupils  as  a  father  and  friend  beloved.    His  white 


226  AUTOBIOGRAPHY 

crown  of  hair,  his  pure  brow,  his  beautiful  bhie  eyes,  sym- 
pathetic, true  and  clear,  attracted  even  strangers.  To  chil- 
dren, he  was  irresistible ;  to  his  nearest  and  dearest,  he  was 
an  ideal  character,  tender  and  strong.  In  his  death,  too, 
he  was  fortunate,  for  it  came  quickly  and  found  him  still 
at  work,  in  possession  of  all  his  powers ;  and  it  came,  too, 
as  a  longed-for  messenger  from  his  beloved  wife,  who 
had  left  him  a  little  more  than  a  year  before.  "Of  such 
are  the  salt  of  the  earth." 


APPENDIX 


APPENDIX 

UNIFICATION  IN  THE  STATE  OF  NEW  YORK.* 
By  E.  A.  Sheldon,  Ph.  D.,  Oswego,  N.  Y. 

Whatever  differences  of  opinion  may  have  previously  ex- 
isted as  to  the  importance  of  the  unification  of  the  educa- 
tional work  of  the  State,  we  are  sure  we  must  all  agree  now 
that  some  plan  ought  to  be  adopted  by  which  our  forces  may 
be  united  into  one  grand  educational  system,  with  a  single 
supervising  head.  It  seems  to  us  as  strange  as  it  is  un- 
fortunate that  two  separate  and  distinct  educational  depart- 
ments should  have  been  allowed  to  grow  up  in  our  State,  and 
we  propose  in  this  discussion,  to  trace  some  of  the  causes 
that  led  to  this  division. 

It  is  a  little  more  than  one  hundred  years  since  the  organi- 
zation of  the  Board  of  Regents  of  the  University  of  the 
State  of  New  York.  The  object  of  this  organization  was  to 
give  direction  and  supervision  to  higher  education  in  the 
State. 

Without  doubt,  Oxford  and  Cambridge  were  the  models 
in  the  minds  of  the  statesmen  who,  at  that  early  day  in  our 
history,  thought  to  lay  the  foundations  for  university  edu- 
cation in  New  York.  Kings  College  alone  then  existed, 
and  by  the  creation  of  the  Board  of  Regents  this  lone  insti- 
tution whose  title  was  then  changed  to  Columbia  College, 
was  abundantly  provided  for  in  the  way  of  supervision  in 
all  the  minutest  details  pertaining  to  its  organization  and 
management.  This  was  regarded  as  the  nucleus  of  a  sys- 
tem of  colleges  that  would  eventually  grow  up  in  the  State 

♦Adflres.s  flellvered  In    1886  and  reported  for  the   School  Journal,   New 
York  (abridged). 

229 


230  APPENDIX 

under  the  authority,  direction  and  control  of  this  Board. 
The  Regents  were  to  grant  all  charters,  appoint  the  facul- 
ties, determine  the  attainments  in  scholarship  to  be  required 
for  the  honorary  degrees,  which  they  alone  had  the  power 
to  confer.  These  various  colleges  thus  to  be  grouped  under 
one  supervising  and  controlling  superior  faculty,  were  to 
constitute  the  "University  of  the  State  of  New  York." 

The  Board  of  Regents  soon  made  the  discovery  that  so 
large  a  Board,  widely  distributed  over  the  State,  was  not 
well  adapted  to  the  management  and  administration  of  the 
internal  affairs  of  a  college  and  much  less  of  a  number  of 
colleges  located  in  different  and  distant  parts  of  the  State, 
and  by  their  own  recommendation,  Columbia  College,  and 
future  colleges  that  might  be  created,  were  by  legislative 
enactment,  made  practically  independent  in  their  organiza- 
tion and  administration,  subject  only  to  such  rules  and 
regulations  as  might  be  prescribed  by  their  charters  of  in- 
corporation. Each  college  was  to  have  its  own  board  of 
trustees  to  have  immediate  supervision  and  management  of 
its  affairs.  By  the  revised  act  of  the  Legislature  passed 
April  13,  1787,  by  the  recommendation  of  the  Board  of 
Regents,  not  only  was  this  change  in  the  relation  of  the 
Regents  to  the  colleges  effected,  but  the  Board  itself  was 
constituted,  in  connection  with  the  colleges,  academies  and 
other  institutions  that  might  be  chartered  by  them,  the 
"University  of  the  State  of  New  York,"  under  the  title 
of  the  "Regents  of  the  University  of  the  State  of  New 
York." 

By  this  act  the  Board  was  relieved  of  the  administrative 
work  of  the  colleges,  but  the  duty  still  devolved  on  them 
of  visiting  these  institutions,  of  examming  into  the  system 
of  education  and  discipline  pursued,  and  making  a  report 
to  the  Legislature  of  the  same.  This  act  also  contemplated 
the  establishment  of  academies  to  be  chartered  by  this  Board, 
and  placed  under  its  fostering  care  and  supervision. 

At  this  time   (1787)   no  public  schools  existed.     But  in 


APPENDIX  231 

a  report  of  a  committee  of  the  Board  we  find  this  passage : 
"Before  your  committee  conclude,  they  feel  themselves 
bound,  in  faithfulness,  to  add,  that  the  erecting  of  public 
schools  for  teaching  reading,  writing  and  arithmetic  is  an 
object  of  great  importance,  which  ought  not  to  be  left  to  the 
discretion  of  private  men,  but  be  promoted  by  public  au- 
thority." 

In  very  similar  language  we  find  that  the  Board  in  their 
successive  annual  reports  for  1793-4  and  5  urged  upon  the 
Legislature  the  importance  of  establishing  public  common 
schools  for  instruction  in  the  elementary  branches  of  edu- 
cation. Following  up  these  recommendations.  Governor 
Clinton,  who  was  a  member  of  the  Board,  urged  upon  the 
Legislature  the  importance  of  "early  and  decided  considera- 
tion" of  this  question. 

Whether  the  result  of  these  recommendations  of  the 
Board  and  the  governor,  or  of  the  convictions  that  had  been 
for  many  years  slowly  but  steadily  growing  in  the  minds 
of  the  people  that  elementary  as  well  as  advanced  educa- 
tion ought  to  be  encouraged  by  the  State,  it  is  impossible  at 
this  distance  of  time  to  know  with  any  degree  of  certainty, 
but  it  is  very  probable  that  both  of  these  influences  com- 
bined to  secure  the  following  spring  the  passage  of  "An  Act 
for  the  Encouragement  of  the  Schools." 

This  act  appropriated  $50,000  annually  for  five  years,  "for 
the  purpose  of  encouraging  and  maintaining  schools  in  the 
several  cities  and  towns  in  this  State,  in  which  the  children 
of  the  inhabitants  residing  in  the  State  shall  be  instructed  in 
the  English  language  or  be  taught  English  grammar,  arith- 
metic, mathematics,  and  such  other  branches  of  knowledge 
as  are  most  useful  and  necessary  to  complete  a  good  edu- 
cation." One  half  as  much  as  was  appropriated  by  the 
State  was  to  be  raised  by  tax  on  the  towns,  to  be  applied  in 
the  same  manner.  Local  supervision  was  provided  by  the 
election  of  commissioners  in  the  several  towns,  but  no  ar- 
rangement was  made  for  a  general  supervision.     This  act 


232  APPENDIX 

expired  by  limitation,  as  did  also,  to  a  very  great  extent, 
the  schools  brought  into  existence  by  it.  It  is  true,  a  few 
schools  continued,  but  in  a  languishing  and  feeble  condi- 
tion; and  the  system  was  practically  given  up. 

Five  years  after  the  expiration  of  this  grant  we  find 
Governor  Lewis,  in  a  special  message,  urging  upon  the 
Legislature  "the  application  of  the  proceeds  of  all  the  State 
lands  for  the  benefit  of  colleges  and  schools ;  the  entire  fund 
and  its  management  to  be  confided  to  the  Regents  of  the 
University,  under  such  regulations  as  the  Legislature  might 
prescribe — the  Regents  to  appoint  three  trustees  for  each 
district,  who  should  be  authorized  to  locate  sites  for  school 
houses,  to  erect  such  houses  wherever  necessary,  employ 
teachers,  apply  the  district  funds,  and  levy  taxes  on  the 
inhabitants  for  such  further  sums  as  might  be  required  for 
the  support  of  the  schools,  and  the  education  of  indigent 
children."  The  recommendation  was  not  adopted,  and  all 
efforts  to  establish  a  public  school  system  was  unavailing 
until  1812;  when,  in  compliance  with  the  recommendation 
of  Governor  Tompkins,  a  system  was  adopted  which  con- 
tinued with  Uttle  change  until  1840.  This  plan  had  in  it  the 
elements  of  success  and  efficiency,  although  as  compared 
with  our  present  organization,  it  seems  a  weak  and  penny- 
wise  system. 

It  is  not  a  little  strange  that  at  the  time  of  the  inaugura- 
tion of  this  public  school  system  it  was  not  put  under  the 
charge  of  the  Board  of  Regents,  to  whom,  up  to  this  time, 
all  educational  work  had  been  entrusted,  and  especially  in 
view  of  the  fact  that  they  had  repeatedly  urged  upon  the 
Legislation  the  adoption  of  such  a  system,  and  at  least, 
one  of  the  governors  had  recommended  that  it  be  placed 
under  the  control  and  management  of  the  Board.  This 
would  seem  to  have  been  a  very  natural  and  proper  thing 
to  do,  and  we  can  only  account  for  their  neglecting  to  do 
so  on  the  supposition  that  they  regarded  these  newly  created 
schools  as  a  sort  of  pauper  or  charity  schools,  and  so  re- 


APPENDIX  233 

quiring  different  treatment,  and  different  supervision.  We 
have  grounds  for  this  suspicion  from  some  things  that  ap- 
pear in  the  history  of  this  movement. 

Be  that  as  it  may,  whatever  may  have  been  the  motive, 
Gideon  Hawley  was  appointed  to  inaugurate  the  new  move- 
ment, under  the  title  of  Superintendent  of  PubHc  Schools. 
As  an  illustration  of  the  meagreness  of  this  provision,  the 
amount  distributed  to  each  district  was  about  twenty  dol- 
lars, and  the  annual  salary  of  the  superintendent  was  three 
hundred  dollars.  But  although  the  compensation  was  so  in- 
significant, the  man  proved  himself  competent  for  the  work 
of  organizing  and  putting  upon  a  firm  basis  the  common 
school  system  of  the  State. 

One  would  think  that  such  a  man,  with  so  meagre  a 
salary,  coupled  with  such  serious  responsibilities,  might  have 
been  safe  in  his  office  of  superintendent,  as  against  the  cu- 
pidity of  the  politicians.  But  such  was  not  the  case.  This 
man,  who  with  marked  ability,  and  untiring  assiduity  had 
organized  and  put  into  successful  operation  the  school  sys- 
tem of  the  State  which  stood  more  than  a  quarter  of  a  cen- 
tury without  material  change,  was  forced  to  yield  his  posi- 
tion to  a  political  hanger-on.  To  the  credit  of  some  of  the 
leading  men  in  the  Legislature  be  it  said,  that  they  were  so 
indignant  that  an  able,  worthy  man,  who  was  discharging 
his  duties  with  commendable  faithfulness  and  marked  suc- 
cess should  be  compelled  to  give  place  to  one  who  knew 
nothing  of  the  work  or  duties  of  the  position,  and  whose 
only  recommendation  was  his  political  alliance  with  the 
party  commanding  the  most  votes,  and  that  a  purely  edu- 
actional  office,  requiring  professional  knowledge  and  skill, 
and  carrying  with  it  great  responsibilities,  should  be  made 
the  football  of  political  parties,  that  they  moved  to  abolish 
the  office,  as  a  distinct  department,  and  merge  it  with  that 
of  secretary  of  state.  This  motion  was  carried  and  the 
office  of  State  Superintendent  of  Public  Schools  was  not 


234  APPENDIX 

restored  to  its  original  dignity  and  importance,  as  a  separate 
bureau,  until  1854,  a  period  of  34  years. 

The  first  superintendent  to  occupy  the  office  after  its 
reinstatement  as  a  separate  and  independent  bureau,  was 
Victor  M.  Rice.  With  the  history  of  this  office  from  this 
time,  we  are  all  familiar.  We  recognize  among  his  suc- 
cessors in  office  men  of  unflinching  integrity  and  marked 
executive  ability;  men  who,  if  time  and  opportunity  had 
been  given  them,  would  have  made  their  mark  on  the  educa- 
tional work  of  the  State,  but  the  office  has  been  a  change- 
able one,  subject  to  the  fluctuations  of  party  politics. 

NO  PERMANCY  IN  OFFICE 

No  superintendent  could  have  the  assurance  of  his  posi- 
tion for  more  than  three  years.  Although  some  of  the  men 
have  done  very  much  for  the  cause  of  education  in  the  State, 
all  must  admit  that  their  time  of  service  was  quite  too 
short  in  which  to  lay  out  and  perfect  any  important  educa- 
tional plans  and  improvements,  requiring  years  of  growth 
to  bring  them  to  maturity.  In  some  cases  much  has  been 
accomplished,  far  more  than  could  have  been  anticipated 
under  the  circumstances,  but  it  cannot  be  denied  that  both 
the  inducements  and  opportunities  would  have  been  greater 
if  these  men  could  have  had  reasonable  assurance  of  per- 
manency in  their  positions.  That  this  position  ought  to  be 
removed  from  the  arena  of  politics  and  from  all  that  ma- 
chinery that  results  in  rotation,  and  put  upon  an  educational 
and  permanent  basis,  no  one  questions. 

DIVIDED  AUTHORITY 

Another  unfortunate  feature  of  our  school  supervision 
which  we  are  sure  every  one  recognizes,  is  its  dual  charac- 
ter, the  higher  departments  being  under  the  Board  of  Re- 
gents, and  the  lower  under  the  superintendent.  So  far  as 
the  academic  departments  in  the  Union  Free  Schools  are 


APPENDIX  235 

concerned,  the  supervision  is  divided  between  the  two  super- 
visory heads. 

The  tendency  of  this  divided  supervision  has  been  to 
foster  more  or  less  of  jealousy  and  animosity  between  the 
schools  so  separated  in  their  supervision,  and,  at  times,  be- 
tween the  Superintendent  and  the  Board.  This  condition 
of  things  is  very  naturally  a  serious  impediment  to  the 
highest  success  in  school  work.  From  time  to  time  proposi- 
tions have  been  made  to  consolidate  all  supervisory  powers 
in  one  head,  sometimes  by  subordinating  the  superintendent 
to  the  Board  of  Regents,  sometimes  by  subordinating  the 
Board  to  the  Superintendent,  and  again  by  abolishing  the 
Board  of  Regents  altogether.  Both  departments  have  been 
jealous  of  an  independent  existence,  and,  in  every  instance, 
each  has  been  able  to  wield  influence  sufficient  to  maintain 
it.  And  yet  the  feeling  has  continued  to  gain  strength  in 
every  quarter  that  something  ought  to  be  done,  to  break 
down  this  middle  wall  of  partition  in  our  educational  work, 

THE  TIME  FOR  UNIFICATION    HAS  COME 

We  believe  the  time  has  come  when  this  may  be  accom- 
plished. Both  departments  of  supervision  realize  the  im- 
portance of  this  consolidation  and  are  ready  to  accept  it, 
provided  it  may  be  accomplished  in  such  a  way  as  to  be  mu- 
tually honorable  to  both.  This  cannot  be  done  by  abolishing 
either  department,  and  there  is  no  necessity  for  such  a 
measure.  In  every  well  arranged  system  of  supervision 
all  the  elements  contained  in  each  department  are  required. 
In  other  words  we  want  both  a  Board  of  Education  and  a 
Superintendent,  but  we  want  them  so  combined  as  to  consti- 
tute one  head.  Since  both  departments  regard  such  a  com- 
bination as  desirable  and  are  ready  to  accept  it,  the  way 
seems  open  for  its  accomplishment,  if  our  Legislature  can 
be  made  to  see  the  importance  of  such  a  movement.  Twelve 
years  ago  a  plan  was  submitted  to  the  Legislature  which  at 
that  time  met  with  the  approbation  of  the  Board  of  Regents, 


236  APPENDIX 

the  Academy,  Normal  School,  and  College  men,  and  the 
educational  men  generally  throughout  the  State,  so  far  as 
an  expression  could  be  gained  from  them.  This  bill  would, 
without  doubt,  have  passed  the  Legislature  at  that  time 
but  for  the  opposition  of  the  incoming  Superintendent  and 
his  political  friends.  A  different  state  of  things  now  exists, 
and  the  time  seems  an  opportune  one  for  the  accomplish- 
ment of  this  much  to  be  desired  end. 

A    UNIFICATION    PLAT^ 

The  following  were  the  main  features  of  that  bill :  It  pro- 
vided for  the  erection  of  a  State  Board  of  Education,  to 
consist  of  ten  members,  seven  to  be  selected  from  the  pres- 
ent Board  of  Regents  by  the  Governor,  and  three  from  out- 
side this  Board  by  the  joint  ballot  of  the  Assembly  and 
Senate.  Of  the  ten  men  thus  elected,  the  time  of  office  of 
two  was  to  terminate  at  the  end  of  one  year,  two  at  the 
end  of  two  years,  two  at  the  end  of  three  years,  two  at  the 
end  of  four  years,  and  two  at  the  end  of  five  years;  and 
after  this  rotation,  the  term  of  office  would  be  five  years, 
two  going  out  and  two  being  elected  each  year  by  the  joint 
ballot  of  the  Legislature.  By  this  plan  it  is  possible  to 
completely  change  the  Board  in  five  years  if  desired.  The 
Governor,  Lieutenant  Governor  and  Secretary  of  State  were 
to  be  added  as  ex  officio  members. 

This  Board  was  to  appoint  the  State  Superintendent,  to 
hold  office  for  three  years,  as  also  his  deputies,  on  the 
nomination  of  the  superintendent.  The  Board  is  to  have  all 
the  powers  and  duties  that  now  devolve  on  the  State  Super- 
intendent and  the  Board  of  Regents.  Such  a  Board  seems  to 
us  to  combine  all  the  elements  requisite  for  a  good  super- 
visory unit  in  a  harmonious  and  acceptable  form. 


APPENDIX  237 

LIFE  AND  CHARACTER  OF  DR.  SHELDON 

By  Charles  R.  Skinner,  A.M.,  LL.D.,  State  Superintendent  of 
Public  Instruction,  New  York.* 

When  a  fellow-laborer  in  the  educational  field  lays  down  his 
burden,  it  seems  fitting  that  those  who  live  after  him,  and  who  have 
been  inspired  by  his  character,  should  pay  a  tribute  to  his  memory. 
My  theme  is  the  life  and  character  of  Edward  Austin  Sheldon.  One 
year  ago  he  met  with  us  at  Milwaukee.  To-night  the  waves  of  Lake 
Ontario  sing  a  requiem  to  his  memory  in  the  city  in  which  he  did 
his  greatest  work. 

For  more  than  half  a  century  he  gave  himself,  body,  soul,  and 
spirit,  to  the  work  of  education.  Courageous,  sincere,  enthusiastic, 
patient,  persevering,  he  overcame  difficulties,  removed  obstacles,  won 
victories,  where  others  with  judgment  less  cool,  with  zeal  less  in- 
tense, would  have  been  disheartened  and  driven  from  the  field.  New 
York  mourns  him  by  the  highest  right.  It  was  New  York  State 
which  gave  him  his  great  opportunity,  but  his  aims  and  efforts  were 
so  universal,  the  grasp  of  his  hope  so  broad,  that  no  local  limita- 
tions could  bind  him.  We  of  New  York  rejoice  that  these  fifty 
years  of  service  were  given  to  education  in  our  own  State,  and  that 
we  are  the  inheritors  of  the  fruits  of  his  labors. 

No  man  can  live  a  noble  life  for  three  score  years  and  ten,  and 
work  in  the  educational  fields  as  Dr.  Sheldon  worked  for  fifty 
years,  without  leaving  his  impress  upon  the  world,  and  exerting  a 
powerful  influence  upon  his  State  and  country.  His  life  was  not 
revealed  to  him  in  a  vision.  His  way  was  not  pointed  out  to  him 
by  the  finger  of  fortune ;  his  problem  was  hidden  in  the  quarries,  the 
solution  of  which  must  be  drilled  by  trial  and  disappointment,  and 
blasted  by  unremitting  effort.  He  found  the  law  uncongenial,  busi- 
ness ventures  unprofitable,  and  the  ministry  a  field  too  narrow 
for  his  ambitions.  He  found  not  his  work  in  these  professions. 
Around  him  were  multitudes  of  the  poor,  whose  condition  arrested 
his  attention  and  touched  his  heart.  To  help  them  he  organized  a 
school,  and  on  a  salary  of  $300  per  year  began  his  first  teaching.  He 
had  found  his  work  and  he  determined  to  know  it.  Horace  Mann, 
Henry  Barnard  and  Edward  Sheldon  all  attempted  other  pursuits, 
amid   constant   disappointments,   before   becoming   what   they   were 


•Memorial  address  delivered   before   the  National   Educational   Associa- 
tion of  the  United  States,  at  Washingtoa,  D.  C,  July  7,  1898. 


238  APPENDIX 

intended  to  be — educators.  Education  and  its  wonderful  possibili- 
ties became  the  inspiration  6£  their  lives. 

Loving  friends  have  told  us  the  charming  story  of  his  useful 
life.  They  have  told  us  of  his  Puritan  birth,  of  his  home  and  its 
congenial  surroundings,  of  his  early  struggles,  his  college  longings 
and  experiences — how  he  came  to  Oswego  to  meet  his  first  dis- 
couragement in  business;  how  he  became  interested  in  the  free- 
school  m.ovement  which  he  was  compelled  to  abandon;  how  he 
organized  the  schools  of  Syracuse  and  gave  them  an  impetus  they 
still  feel ;  how  he  was  called  back  to  Oswego  by  the  free-school 
party;  how  he  laid  his  plans  for  advanced  instruction  in  the  prin- 
ciples and  methods  of  teaching,  and  established  it  forever  as  a 
mighty  force  in  education ;  how,  believing  in  patriotic  citizenship,  he 
offered  his  services  to  his  country  to  preserve  the  Union  which  he 
loved;  how  his  plan  developed  into  a  school  for  the  training  of 
primary  teachers;  how  the  Legislature  came  to  his  aid  in  1862, 
through  the  sympathy  of  the  State  Superintendent ;  how,  in  1867,  the 
Oswego  Normal  was  accepted  as  a  part  of  the  great  normal  school 
of  the  State ;  how  for  thirty  years  he  worked  "like  a  Hercules,"  as 
Carlyle  says,  as  its  principal ;  how  he  resisted  tempting  offers  to 
honorable  fields  elsewhere,  preferring  to  finish  his  work  here;  how 
he  was  called  into  other  States  to  assist  in  organizing  method  schools 
upon  his  plan ;  how  men  and  women  were  attracted  from  every 
county  and  State  and  country  to  come  within  the  charmed  circl< 
of  his  influence,  and  how  they  became  instruments  in  extending  that 
influence  and  in  organizing  similar  schools  in  other  States  and 
countries;  how  inspired  by  his  growing  success,  institutions  were 
founded  to  uplift  the  colored  people  of  the  South ;  how  echoes  of 
his  influence  came  from  the  Republic  of  South  America,  the  Sand- 
wich Islands,  and  from  far-away  Japan;  how  he  wrote  the  books 
which  helped  others  and  extended  his  power  for  good;  how  at  the 
great  Columbian  Exposition  he  was  an  honored  figure  in  educa- 
tional deliberations,  and  received  a  medal  of  honor  for  his  be- 
loved institution  "for  excellence  of  equipment,  method  and  wise 
usefulness";  and  how,  finally,  discouragement  gave  place  to  hope, 
and  defeat  was  crowned  with  glorious  victory.  Surely  the  "end 
crowned  the  work,"  and  patient,  self-sacrificing  service  had  its 
reward. 

Do  we  ask  if  such  a  life,  with  such  a  character  woven  into  it, 
had  an  influence  on  our  educational  theories  and  methods?     It  was 


APPENDIX  239 

more  than  influence — it  was  inspiration.  Always  holding  high  ideals 
himself,  he  inspired  other  with  lofty  purpose  and  noble  ambition. 
He  transmitted  to  others  hope,  and  faith,  and  resolution,  and  many 
men  and  women  of  to-day  confess  that  whatever  of  success  they 
have  attained  in  teaching  children  they  owe  to  his  inspiration  and 
influence. 

Dr.  Sheldon  was  distinguished  for  his  purity  of  character,  for 
his  zeal  as  an  educator,  for  his  persistent,  progressive  spirit,  even 
to  the  last  day  of  his  life.  His  good  judgment,  his  simplicity,  his 
earnestness,  his  devotion  to  principle,  were  the  bulwarks  of  his  life. 
What  he  believed  to  be  right  he  fearlessly  defended  in  the  face  of 
opposition  which  would  have  crushed  a  man  with  less  faith.  He  was 
conspicuous  throughout  New  York  State  and  throughout  America, 
not  alone  for  his  scholarship,  but  for  his  thorough  grasp  of  sound 
educational  principles  and  correct  methods  of  teaching,  for  his 
power  to  penetrate  an  educational  proposition  and  fix  the  value,  for 
his  ability  to  detect  a  fault  or  recognize  a  virtue  in  educational 
method.  He  did  not  claim  to  be  a  profound  student  of  technical 
branches  of  learning,  but  his  education  was  strong  because  it  was 
broad,  generous,  and  humane.  What  he  knew  he  knew  thoroughly, 
and  he  made  splendid  use  of  his  knowledge  and  training. 

He  was  the  first  great  advocate  in  the  country  of  the  proposi- 
tion that  children  should  be  taught  according  to  certain  fixed  natural 
laws  which  always  have  governed  and  always  will  govern  the  de- 
velopment of  children  and  determine  their  possibilities.  Believing 
in  the  doctrines  of  Pestalozzi  and  Froebel,  he  was  their  most  dis- 
tinguished representative  in  this  country,  and  the  first  to  point  out 
the  necessity  of  observing  in  the  training  of  children  certain  un- 
changeable laws  of  nature  which  could  not  be  violated  without 
spoiling  life.  He  believed  that  every  child  represented  nature  as 
much  as  a  tree  or  flower,  and  should  be  studied  and  taught  by  na- 
tural methods. 

He  said  of  his  work  many  years  ago :  "In  this  plan  of  studies 
the  object  is  not  so  much  to  impart  information  as  to  educate  the 
senses  and  awaken  a  spirit  of  inquiry.  To  this  end  the  pupils  must 
be  encouraged  to  do  most  of  their  talking  and  acting."  In  1873  he 
said,  in  an  address  to  the  students  at  the  Gcncsco  Normal  School : 
"I  may  judge  your  work  by  a  standard  which  you  do  not 
recognize.  I  cannot  determine  the  education  of  a  child  by  its  ability 
to  answer  questions  in  a  given  way.    These  answers  may  be  learned 


240  APPENDIX 

from  books.  Rather  let  me  ask  a  question  to  which  they  have  not 
learned  an  answer  from  the  text-books,  and  let  them  give  an  answer 
in  their  own  language,  from  their  own  thought." 

Was  this  the  new  education?  Whether  new  or  old,  it  worked 
a  revolution  in  educational  methods — in  the  proper  treatment  of  the 
children.  When  the  world  became  convinced  that  object-teaching 
was  related  to  the  happiness  of  the  children,  when  it  was  certain 
that  it  could  not  be  laughed  down  nor  stamped  out,  this  school  and 
Dr.  Sheldon's  eflforts  became  centers  of  observation.  They  were 
the  'Mecca  to  all  teachers  who  had  been  led  to  believe  there  was  a 
simpler,  better  way  to  teach  children.  Through  his  work  and  his 
influence  in  first  attracting  attention  to  this  new  principle  in  the 
education  of  children.  Dr.  Sheldon  helped  to  lay  broad  and  deep 
the  foundations  of  a  system  which  will  never  again  be  questioned 
or  attacked,  but  which  to-day  recognizes  the  power  and  scope  and 
the  possibilities  of  the  kindergarten  as  a  living,  vital  force  in  edu- 
cation, and  places  it  within  reach  of  millions  of  our  children.  It  is 
no  longer  an  experiment,  but  a  settled  fact,  and  we  now  know  what 
it  means  to  lead  children  early  to  think  and  do  for  themselves. 

Beyond  this,  the  influence  which  he  exerted  through  all  these 
years  has  led  our  educators  into  other  avenues  of  thought,  and  the 
principles  which  he  advocated  have  developed  well-organized  plans 
of  investigation.  As  a  result,  whatever  is  practical  or  valuable 
in  child-study  and  nature-study,  as  we  find  them,  comes  through  his 
teaching. 

If  this  influence  was  felt  in  the  proper  education  of  children 
from  a  child's  standpoint,  so  it  has  been  exerted  for  more  than  a 
generation  over  those  who  taught  the  children.  In  all  his  teachings 
he  believed  that  in  the  development  of  the  true  teacher  there  must 
be,  not  only  broad  scholarship  and  professional  training,  but  behind 
and  back  of  all  this  must  be  the  true  spirit  of  the  teacher.  He 
taught  his  teachers  to  be  independent  and  self-reliant — to  work  out 
questions  for  themselves  and  not  depend  upon  text-books.  In  this 
way  his  teachers  learned  to  teach  independence  and  self-reliance 
to  their  pupils. 

We  have  in  the  common  schools  of  New  York  State  a  better 
knowledge  of  real  educational  methods,  a  better  knowledge  of  cor- 
rect educational  principles,  more  teaching  with  heart  and  soul  in  it, 
and  less  form.  If  this  claim  is  well  founded,  we  owe  much  of  the 
excellence    of    our    schools,    the    spirit    of    our    teachers,    improved 


APPENDIX  241 

methods  of  instruction,  to  the  influence  of  Dr.  Sheldon,  exerted 
upon  the  men  and  women  whom  he  taught  in  this  school  and  whom 
he  led  to  higher  ideals. 

Dr.  Sheldon's  influence  will  live  and  be  powerful  for  years, 
when  even  his  name  may  be  forgotten.  Teachers  whom  he  taught 
will  have  visions  of  what  he  never  saw,  and  will  teach  other  teach- 
ers to  whose  sight  even  better  things  will  come — a  progressive  and 
stimulating  vision  whose  beauty  and  usefulness  shall  never  end. 
Dr.  Sheldon's  quiet,  peaceful,  loving,  spirit,  his  patience,  his  courage, 
his  consecration  to  his  work  as  an  educator,  will  live  in  the  history 
of  his  pupils  and  their  devotion  to  duty.  He  was  emphatically  a 
teacher  of  those  who  taught  teachers  and  made  others  realize  the 
value  and  dignity  of  a  true  teacher's  life.  Behind  his  profession, 
behind  his  work,  stood  the  vian.  His  sterling  manhood  shone  out 
in  all  he  did  through  his  whole  professional  life. 

As  an  author  of  educational  works  he  breathed  his  sj-mpa- 
thetic  spirit  into  his  books,  and  the  influence  of  his  thought  and 
personality  went  wherever  his  works  were  read;  and  who  can  tell 
the  power  of  a  written  word,  conceived  in  the  hope  of  helping 
others?  Through  the  printed  page  he  multiplied  his  influence  over 
teachers  and  pupils,  and  perpetuated  his  power.  His  advanced 
though,  his  clear  statement,  his  mastery  of  the  subject,  and  his 
conscientious  purpose  made  him  as  successful  in  touching  the  lives 
of  his  readers  as  in  personal  contact  with  those  he  taught. 

In  the  educational  associations  of  the  State  and  country  he  was 
always  welcome,  and  took  a  deep  interest,  not  only  in  promoting 
their  objects,  but  in  the  discussions  which  they  furnished.  Even  if 
his  associates  diff^ered  with  him,  they  admired  his  rugged  sincerity, 
his  earnestness  of  purpose,  and  the  courteous  bravery  of  his  gentle 
speech.  He  was  everybody's  friend ;  he  had  no  enemies  in  the 
educational  field,  and  was  never  provoked  in  debate  beyond  the 
bounds  of  kindly  firmness.  This  influence  which  he  exerted  in  these 
associations  was  always  in  the  direction  of  higher  standards.  His 
last  educational  visit  was  at  Milwaukee,  where  his  face,  like  a 
loving  benediction,  smiled  upon  those  who  gathered  in  the  National 
Educational  Association,  a  most  familiar  figure ;  and  my  last  look 
upon  my  friend  was  as  he  mingled  happily  with  the  vast  concourse 
of  educators  which  gathered  there. 

We  speak  of  great  centers  of  light  and  heat,  and  their  influences 
upon    what    they    touch — upon    nature,    upon    man,    and    field,    and 


242  APPENDIX 

flower.  The  light  of  his  life  penetrated  the  atmosphere  of  many  a 
life  which  touched  his  own,  and  this  light  will  shine  on  for  years 
and  ages,  and  be  transmitted  to  bless  generations  which  he  will 
never  see.  We  who  are  left  should  rejoice  that  our  friend  did  not 
outlive  his  work.  He  died  with  his  armor  on,  and  entered  into  the 
presence  of  the  God  he  loved  and  worshiped  with  soul  still  stirred 
with  affection  for  the  institution  which  he  builded  and  to  which 
he  had  given  so  bountifully  of  mind  and  hand  and  heart.  Surely 
he  must  have  entered  upon  that  higher  life  with  blessed  memories 
of  work  here  which  has  given  him  so  much  happiness.  His  last 
days  were  occupied  with  plans  and  hopes  for  future  usefulness  to 
the  institution  with  which  he  had  long  been  identified.  H  a  personal 
allusion  may  be  pardoned  here,  let  me  say  that  these  hopes  formed 
the  subject  of  my  last  conference  with  Dr.  Sheldon.  He  discussed 
plans  for  raising  the  standard  of  admission  and  establishing  a 
higher  course  of  study  with  all  the  zeal  of  a  man  who  still  had 
faith  in  the  future,  and  his  good  heart  was  full  of  hope  in  antici- 
pation of  still  grander  achievements  and  greater  usefulness  in  his 
profession.  The  fifty  years  which  lay  behind  him  were  an  inspira- 
tion, rather  than  a  memory.  His  face  was  always  toward  the  rising 
sun. 

He  loved  his  work,  and  put  into  it  all  the  strength  of  his  calm 
mind,  tender  heart  and  trained  understanding.  His  enthusiasm  for 
his  profession  was  so  infectious  that  no  one  whose  privilege  it  was 
to  counsel  with  him  could  fail  to  be  strengthened  and  helped.  His 
greatest  charm  was  his  simplicity.  Modest  in  the  estimate  of  his 
own  abilities,  he  was  upheld  and  sustained  at  all  times  by  the  sin- 
cerity and  integrity  of  his  own  aims  and  principles. 

It  was  a  touching  tribute  to  his  memory  published  on  the  day 
of  his  death : 

"The  life  he  loved  is  nobler  than  anything  that  could  be  said  of 
him.  If  we  could  correctly  measure  the  man,  we  must  measure  the 
things  he  loved.  He  loved  his  home,  he  loved  the  children,  he  loved 
his  country,  he  loved  nature,  and  he  loved  his  God. 

"His  love  for  these  things — home,  humanity,  God — explains  our 
love  for  him.  He  was  kind  and  gentle  and  pure.  His  life  was 
rounded  and  benign.  In  his  teaching  he  kept  step  with  civilization, 
progress,  education,  and  virtue." 

We  who  knew  him  will  cherish  the  memory  of  the  great  soul  that 
dwelt  in  a  form  so  gracious ;   the  sustaining  strength  of  personal 


APPENDIX  243 

friendship;  the  achievements  for  education;  with  which  his  name 
must  be  ever  blended;  the  consecration  of  a  life  in  tender  sympathy 
with  mankind — all  these  are  far  too  precious  to  be  lost  from  our 
memories,  or  permitted  to  perish  from  our  traditions. 


SOME  REMINISCENCES  OF  EDWARD  AUSTIN  SHELDON 

By  Herman  Kruse,  Member  of  the  Oswego  Faculty  from  1862 

TO  1867 

It  was  through  the  recommendation  of  Miss  Jones,  whose  engage- 
ment at  Oswego  ended  at  the  close  of  the  school-year  (in  1862)  that 
Mr.  Sheldon's  attention  was  directed  to  myself.  The  letter  of  invi- 
tation, which  he  sent  me  to  Lancaster  Mass.,  where  I  then  resided, 
was  calculated  to  give  me  a  favorable  opinion  of  the  man,  who 
seemed  earnestly  intent  to  labor  in  the  interest  of  truth  and  progress 
without  unduly  elating  the  part  he  had  taken  in  it,  or  indulging 
in  vain  promises.  It  is  thus  I  found  him  on  my  arrival  in  Oswego, 
and  ever  afterwards. 

Although  my  work  was  at  first  chiefly  connected  with  giving  les- 
sons in  the  city  schools — in  drawing,  French,  etc. — I  spent  with  the 
greatest  interest  two  hours  in  the  afternoon  with  the  Normal  Class, 
assembled  in  a  room  of  one  of  the  city  schools,  where  methods  were 
discussed  and  lessons  given  in  the  Practice  school  were  submitted 
to  the  criticism  of  the  class.  In  my  opinion  Mr.  Sheldon  passed 
some  of  his  happiest  hours  in  the  Fourth  Ward  school-building, 
where  the  Normal  school  class  had  its  sessions,  and  where  the  first 
experiments  were  made  in  applying  the  methods  introduced  there. 
to  the  instruction  of  children  of  various  grades.  He  never  missed 
a  session  of  this  class,  and  sat  there  with  his  teachers,  eager  to 
improve  his  mind  and  to  receive  new  inspiration  for  the  performance 
of  his  task.  As  a  proof  that  he  considered  himself  a  pupil  of  that 
class,  we  find  his  name  mentioned  as  one  of  its  graduates  in   1862. 

Much  of  'Mr.  Sheldon's  undeniably  great  moral  influence  over 
his  pupils  must  be  attributed  to  this  spirit  of  love  and  charity,  which 
shone  most  brightly,  when  he  had  to  deal  with  weaknesses  that  were 
either  the  result  of  a  neglected  education,  or  of  limited  talents,  pro- 
vided they  were  supported  by  honest  effort.  Those  who  have  been 
teachers  in  his  school,  and  who  were  called  upon  at  regular  intervals, 
to  decide  about  the  granting  of  diplomas  to  the  members  of  the 
graduating  class,  can  testify  with  what  an  earnestness  our  worthy 


244  APPENDIX 

Principal  begged  to  give  them  another  trial,  or  perhaps,  tried  to 
excuse  some  of  their  failings.  Indeed  it  was  hard  for  him,  who 
felt  so  much  sympathy  for  the  poor  struggling  part  of  society,  to 
destroy  their  hope  of  earning  an  honest  living,  after  having  brought 
so  much  sacrifice  to  accomplish  this  end. 

There  were  often  cases  where  negligence,  disregard  of  dutj^  or 
unbecoming  conduct  in  some  of  the  pupils,  engaged  the  attention 
of  the  Principal,  but  even  these  he  never  treated  with  unbecoming 
harshness  or  stern  condemnation,  but  rather  as  a  sorrowing  father, 
who  would  wish  the  erring  children  to  see  for  themselves  the  fault 
they  had  committed,  and  the  way  to  redeem  it. 

I  am  reminded  in  this  connection,  of  a  little  incident  told  me 
by  a  lady  referring  to  the  time  when,  as  an  inexperienced  girl, 
suffering  from  home-sickness,  she  had  entered  the  school.  For 
lack  of  attention  to  what  was  going  on  she  had  failed  to  listen 
and  had  not  obeyed  one  of  the  rules  communicated  by  Mr.  Sheldon 
to  the  entering  class.  She  was  cited  to  appear  before  him.  When 
she  stood  there,  weeping  and  trembling  from  fear  of  what  was  in 
store  for  her,  he  took  pity  on  her  youth  and  innocence  and  forgot 
all  reproach,  and  said  in  a  tender  voice:  "I  will  be  a  father  to  you — 
go  back  to  your  class."  Similar  examples  of  kindness,  most  of  them 
probably  buried  in  the  hearts  of  the  recipients,  might  be  quoted. 

Even  in  difficult  cases,  he  never,  or  with  hardly  any  exception, 
did  he  give  way  to  angry  reproach.  I  only  recollect  one  instance 
when  a  conceited  young  man,  who  with  others  was  under  reproof, 
on  account  of  some  not  very  serious  offense  against  a  fellow-pupil, 
ventured  to  give  the  gray-headed  principal  advice  as  to  how  he 
should  have  treated  the  matter.  The  thundering  accents  of  Mr. 
Sheldon's  voice  in  reply  to  this  impertinent  advice,  made  the  young 
man  aware  of  his  proper  place  in  the  economy  of  the  world. 

Mr.  Sheldon  never  considered  himself  exempt  from  observing 
with  scrupulous  conscientiousness  the  rules  concerning  punctuality 
and  regularity  in  attendance,  at  the  morning  devotions  and  at  les- 
sons, which  he  considered  binding  on  his  scholars.  He  did  not  con- 
sider it  a  sufficient  excuse  to  plead,  that  one  had  not  been  aware 
of  the  time,  or  that  some  trifling  incident,  which  might  have  been 
conquered  by  earnest  will  or  determination,  had  caused  the  delay. 
He  went  even  further,  as  the  following  incident  will  show : 

On  a  stormy  day,  the  roads  had  been  partially  blocked  with 
snow,  more  especially  the   one  that  leads  to  the  school   from  his 


APPENDIX  245 

rural  home  nearly  a  mile  away.  About  five  minutes  after  the  open- 
ing of  school  he  entered  the  hall,  nearly  out  of  breath,  and  took  a 
seat  on  the  platform.  At  the  close  of  the  exercise,  he  advanced  on 
the  platform,  totally  dejected,  and  like  a  humble  penitent  he 
apologized  to  the  whole  school  "for  having  been  derelict  to  a  duty, 
for  the  neglect  of  which  he  had  often  blamed  others."  .    '>  . 

How  much  this  act  reveals  the  humble  spirit  of  Mr.  Sheldon, 
and  his  readiness  to  place  himself  on  a  footing  of  equality  with 
his  subordinates  in  the  observation  of  moral  duties ! 

Mr.  Sheldon  viewed  with  the  same  conscientiousness  the  keep- 
ing of  a  given  promise;  and  it  was  one  of  the  secrets  of  his  power 
that  one  could  rely  on  his  word  without  'the  fear  of  its  being 
broken  for  the  furtherance  of  selfish  interests. 

Nothing  speaks  more  eloquently  about  the  blessed  influence  of 
the  departed,  than  the  fact,  that  the  conduct  of  the  pupils  after 
his  death  was  characterized  by  the  same  attention  to  order  and 
duty  as  it  was  before. 

A  word  should  be  said  of  Mr.  Sheldon's  influence  in  the  de- 
votional exercises  held  every  morning  and  on  festive  occasions.  His 
venerable  form  stands  vividly  before  me,  and  I  still  hear  his  im- 
pressive addresses  and  prayers,  uttered  with  a  solemn,  manly  voice, 
which  did  not  fail  to  be  listened  to  with  attention  and  reverence 
by  the  whole  assembly.  When  he  appealed  to  the  spirit  of  truth- 
fulness, honesty,  and  strict  attention  to  duty,  his  hearers  knew  that 
these  sentiments  proceeded  from  a  man  who  gave  every  day  living 
examples  of  these  virtues.  How  his  words  and  acts  of  love  and 
benevolence  impressed  others  is  well  expressed  by  the  pastor  of  his 
church  in  one  of  the  memorial  addresses :  "Mr.  Sheldon's  religion 
was  neither  a  proposition  nor  a  profession,  it  was  a  passion.  He 
did  not  argue  about  God,  but  rather  gazed  into  the  face  of  God,  as  a 
true  son  looks  into  the  countenance  of  a  loving  father.  He  was 
a  loving  member,  and  this  is  all;  for  God  is  love,  and  love  is  the 
fulfilling  of  the  law." 

MR.  Sheldon's  relations  to  his  assist.\nt  teachers 

AND   THEIR   WORK 

Mr.  Sheldon's  teachers  might  at  one  time  have  been  divided 
into  three  groups:  the  first  comprising  those  who  had  joined  him 
at  the  start;  the  second,  those  who  had  been  pupils  in  the  class-room 
as  well  as  in  the  School  of  Practice;  the  third  class  comprising 


246  APPENDIX 

persons  called  hither  from  outside  localities.  The  latter  were  gener- 
ally well  recommended  and  were  expected  to  teach  some  more  ad- 
vanced branches,  such  as  Natural  History,  Chemistry,  the  ancient 
languages,  etc. — subjects  which  hitherto  had  not  received  sufficient 
attention  at  school,  to  enable  pupils  to  teach  them.  The  prevailing 
spirit  of  the  school  was,  however,  so  powerful  as  to  induce  even 
the  teachers  called  from  outside,  to  conform  to  it  by  the  use  of 
objective  means  of  illustration  and  by  oral  teaching.  Mr.  Sheldon 
was  thus  privileged  in  having  to  deal  with  a  harmonious  corps  of 
teachers,  and  to  meet  with  little  or  no  opposition  to  the  introduction 
of  measures  intended  for  the  good  of  the  school  and  its  healthy 
progress. 

The  weekly  conferences  or  meetings  with  his  teachers  were 
characterized  by  full  freedom  of  expression  of  opinions  and  con- 
victions, and  the  decision  of  a  question  was  generally  left  to  the 
majority. 

Mr.  Sheldon  preserved  throughout  his  career  a  modest  dispo- 
sition. He  never  boasted  about  the  work  he  had  performed,  even 
when  its  success  was  universally  acknowledged.  On  the  other 
hand,  he  was  every  ready  to  give  full  credit  and  praise  to  the  efforts 
of  men  who  had  worked  in  the  same  field  with  himself.  Instead 
of  feeling  jealous  in  regard  to  the  improved  means  or  methods  sup- 
posed to  have  been  discovered  by  them,  or  in  regard  to  the  prior- 
ity of  this  discovery — he  manifested  the  most  unselfish  admiration 
for  their  labors  and  sacrifices  in  the  cause  of  education.  The  fol- 
lowing   incident   may   illustrate   this    trait : 

One  morning  the  school,  assembled  in  the  great  hall  for  the 
morning  exercises,  looked  with  astonishment  at  the  entrance  of 
Mr.  Sheldon,  whose  appearance  indicated  that  he  had  travelled 
day  and  night,  and  that — before  going  to  his  own  home — he  was 
impelled  by  a  deep  emotion,  to  communicate  to  his  beloved  school 
a  late  joyous  experience,  of  which  his  heart  was  full  to  overflow- 
ing. This  glorious  experience  consisted  of  a  week's  visit  to  Colonel 
Parker's  Normal  School  at  Englewood,  and  the  intimate  acquaint- 
ance formed  there  between  the  two  men.  With  unbounded  enthusi- 
asm and  unqualified  praise  our  warm-hearted  principal  spoke  of  the 
ideas  he  had  seen  in  the  making.  His  strongly  emphasized  exclama- 
tion :  "Yes,  Parker  is  a  great  man !"  seemed  to  imply  that  he  him- 
self was  but  a  poor  tyro  in  comparison.  Such  was  the  modesty 
of  the  man. 


APPENDIX  247 

The  work  of  both  these  remarkable  men  belongs  to  history. 
They  both  were  pioneers  in  breaking  down  the  old  mechanical  rou- 
time  of  teaching,  and  substituting  for  it  exercises  more  suitable  to 
the  children's  minds,  based  on  perception,  and  capable  of  developing 
the  reasoning  power,  which  the  mere  memorizing  of  even  the  best 
books  never  will  do.  They  both  had  to  meet  occasionally  opposi- 
tion to  their  plans,  which  in  Colonel  Parker's  case  often  became  per- 
sonal, owing  to  his  more  combative  spirit,  while  Mr.  Sheldon,  with 
his  calm,  peaceful  temperament,  and  his  unflinching  pursuit  of  what 
he  thought  to  be  right,  was  often  able  to  pacify  or  even  to  convert 
his  former  enemies. 

Mr.  Sheldon's  work  has  laid  deep  roots  in  the  soil  of  educa- 
tional progress,  and  that  the  better  class  of  his  pupils,  scattered 
all  over  the  Union,  have  received  a  salutary  impulse  for  good  work 
by  the  application  of  broad  principles  so  instilled  in  them,  as  to  en- 
able them  to  distinguish  between  these  and  such  experimental  con- 
trivances as  some  young,  inexperienced  teachers  often  consider  firmly 
wedded  to  the  philosophy  they  are  supposed  to  follow. 

Mr.  Sheldon  took  the  greatest  pride  in,  and  bestowed  most  of 
his  time  and  attention  on,  the  work  done  in  the  Practice  Department, 
both  by  the  officers  and  students  of  the  school.  While  the  value 
derived  from  the  theoretical  instruction  received  in  the  Normal 
school  formed  an  invaluable  preparation  for  objective  teaching,  it 
was  undoubtedly  its  practical  application  to  the  teaching  of  differ- 
ent grades,  the  experiences  made  in  exciting  the  interest  of  chil- 
dren and  in  developing  a  subject,  the  trying  task  of  maintaining 
discipline  by  proper  means,  and  last,  not  least,  the  salutary  criticism 
to  which  they  were  occasionally  subjected  by  competent  judges, 
which  enabled  the  school  to  send  out  so  many  efficient  teachers,  and 
which,  I  venture  to  say,  constituted  one  of  the  main  causes  of  the 
high  reputation  enjoyed  by  the  Oswego  Normal  School.  It  has  the 
more  claim  to  this  honor,  as  it  was  the  first  Normal  School  in  the 
United  States  in  which  a  real  trial  and  practice  school  was  estab- 
lished, not  merely  a  so-called  Model  school,  in  which  the  teachers 
in  training  were  supposed  to  act  as  spectators  to  the  performances 
of  others,  without  taking  a  hand  in  the  work. 

Towards  the  latter  part  of  Mr.  Sheldon's  management,  some  of 
the  more  rigid  features  of  the  criticism  of  practice  work  were  abol- 
ished, care  being  taken  that  pupils  in  training  should  not  be  dis- 
couraged by  having  a  whole  catalogue  of  their  short-comings  laid 


248  APPENDIX 

before  them  after  each  lesson,  given  in  public,  but  only  those  that 
were  of  the  most  importance  and  might  be  avoided  by  honest  effort. 

MR.    SHELDON    AT    HOME 

When  I  think  of  this  home,  I  see  before  me  a  white  cottage, 
situated  on  a  peninsula,  from  whose  extremity  the  eye  commands 
charming  views  on  the  mirror  of  Lake  Ontario,  while  the  house  it- 
self is  safely  sheltered  by  a  shady  grove  of  trees,  which  have  given 
to  the  property  the  name  of  "Shady  Shore."  This  cosy  retreat  af- 
forded to  Mr.  Sheldon's  mind  and  eye  a  pleasing  and  instructive 
intercourse  with  nature.  This  was  finely  expressed  by  one  of  the 
speakers  at  one  of  the  Memorial  meetings :  "The  grove,  the  garden, 
the  orchard,  the  lake,  were  his  teachers.  In  these  more  than  in 
books  he  found  the  inspiration  of  his  life.  He  read  them,  not  as 
botanist,  not  as  naturalist,  but  as  a  child,  to  whom  they  were  an 
open  revelation  of  a  divine  intelligence;  to  him  they  were  a  bound- 
less store  of  knowledge,  in  which  he  found  much  to  contemplate,  and 
the  very  contemplation  was  inspiration,  joy,  peace." 

To  these  "contemplative"  influences  there  were  added  some 
which  appealed  to  his  restless  activity,  and  to  his  predilection  for 
operations,  operations  connected  with  the  raising  and  culture  of 
natural  products,  such  as  honey,  poultry,  etc.  Although  these  ex- 
periments were  far  from  profitable,  they  yet  fulfilled  their  object 
in  giving  to  their  promoter  a  congenial  occupation  and  to  his  resi- 
dence and  surroundings  a  rural  character. 

Mr.  Sheldon's  home  circle  was  an  ideal  one.  Not  only  the 
children  and  near  relatives,  but  many  friends  and  wanderers  like 
myself  have  after  a  long  journey  entered  the  familiar  grounds  of 
"Shady  Shore"  as  into  a  haven  of  rest.  I  did  so  for  the  last  time 
in  the  second  week  of  June,  some  days  preceding  my  eightieth  birth- 
day. There  was  but  little  change  visible  about  the  premises,  and 
the  welcome  bestowed  by  our  venerable  friend  was  as  cordial  as 
ever.  There  were  visible  on  his  countenance  traces  of  advancing 
age  and  symptoms  of  that  sickness  to  which  he  succumbed  a  little 
more  than  two  months  afterwards.  In  the  death  of  his  dearly  be- 
loved wife  and  partner  for  forty-six  years,  he  had  already  passed 
through  the  shadow  of  the  valley  of  death,  so  as  to  be  willing  and 
resigned  to  meet  the  reality  whenever  God  shall  call  him  from  his 
work.     Still  he  felt  happy  to  meet  his  beloved  daughter  Mary  and 


APPENDIX  249 

her  husband,  as  well  as  myself  and  Professor  Griggs,  and  lost  no 
time  in  introducing  us  to  his  school. 

I  remember  how,  in  1862,  I  entered  for  the  first  time  the  pre- 
cincts sacred  as  the  home  of  one  of  the  most  distinguished  educa- 
tors of  this  Union.  I  remembered  all  the  happy  family  reunions 
that  had  taken  place  here,  as  well  as  those  in  which  the  pupils  and 
teachers  of  the  Normal  School  participated  on  festival  occasions ; 
for  instance,  after  the  graduating  exercises,  or  whenever  Mr.  Shel- 
don wished  the  pupils  to  enjoy  some  pleasant  sport  or  recreation, 
which  was  generally  accompanied  by  a  liberal  distribution  of  maple 
sugar,  roast  corn,  or  Bartlett  pears  gathered  from  his  trees. 

The  death  of  our  dearly  beloved  friend  Sheldon  occurred  less 
than  two  months  after  the  celebration  of  the  eightieth  anniversary 
of  my  birth,  when  his  inspiring  words  before  a  large  assembly 
of  teachers  and  pupils  sounded  like  a  blessing  to  me,  and  have  shed 
a  halo  over  my  declining  days. 

We  are  not  allowed  to  pry  into  what  awaits  us  in  the  life  be- 
yond, but  we  have  a  strong  faith  that  the  vision  which  seemed  to 
rise  before  our  dying  friend,  "Mother  and  Christ,"  may  become  a 
reality  in  the  thought,  that  hearts  zi'Iw  -were  ONE  during  life,  zvill 
not  be  separated;  and  that  pure,  holy  thoughts  in  the  service  of 
truth  will  find  a  new  field  of  labor  beyond.  It  is  with  this  calm 
conviction  that  our  friend  exchanged  his  earthly  task,  which  was 
a  blessing  to  thousands  of  his  pupils  and  friends,  for  the  one  await- 
ing him  in  his  eternal  Home. 

A     PARALLEL    DRAWN    BETWEEN     PESTALOZZI    AND     SHELDON 

Pestalozzi  and  Sheldon  belong  to  history  as  benefactors  of  the 
human  race  in  elevating  the  standard  of  education,  so  as  to  make  its 
blessings  accessible  to  the  children  of  the  poor  as  well  as  to  those 
of  the  wealthier  classes. 

Men  who  have  worked,  toiled,  and  sacrificed  themselves  for  the 
above  purpose,  and  who,  animated  by  noble  motives,  were  sustained 
by  faith  in  God  and  His  eternal  laws,  will  stand  out  in  the  far 
future  as  shining  lights — when  their  imperfections  will  be  forgotten, 
and  their  motives  and  actions  better  understood,  because  divested 
of  the  disturbing  influence  of  surrounding  circumstance. 

The  writer  of  these  "Reminiscences"  believes — on  account   of 


250  APPENDIX 

the  intimate  relations  existing  between  his  father  and  Pestalozzi, 
and  of  his  own  long  connection  with  Mr.  Sheldon  and  his  work — 
to  have  sufficient  data,  from  which  to  draw  a  parallel  between  these 
two  men.  He  is  fully  aware  that  great  allowance  must  be  made 
in  this  comparison,  on  account  of  the  different  periods  in  which 
they  lived  (the  time  of  their  birth  being  nearly  eighty  years  apart), 
the  different  countries  they  inhabited,  and  the  different  circum- 
stances by  which  they  were  surrounded. 

There  are,  however,  some  features  which  characterize  all  noble, 
philanthropic  souls :  Love  for  human  kind,  pity  for  tlve  poor  and 
suffering,  great  perseverance  and  noble  efforts  in  pursuing  their 
aim,  itnflunching  courage  in  doing  what  they  consider  to  be  right,  a 
pleasing  modesty  in  regard  to  their  own  powers,  and  a  firm  trust 
in  God  and  His  constant  care  and  protection. 

One  needs  but  read  the  history  of  these  two  men  to  see  this 
statement  verified.  Incidentally,  there  are  other  points  of  resem- 
blance ;  viz.,  that  each  was  born  in  a  republic,  of  respectable,  hard- 
working parents  in  moderate  circumstances,  that  both  received  a 
fragmentary  education,  which,  although  it  allowed  them  to  enter 
college,  yet  never  led  to  their  graduation,  nor  gave  them  any  pro- 
found scientific  knowledge,  nor  the  preparation  for  any  definite 
vocation.  Each  also,  in  early  manhood,  turned  his  energies  enthusi- 
astically to  rural  pursuits  and  plans,  with  the  intention  of  making 
this  a  life-work. 

What  induced  them  first  to  give  attention  to  education,  and 
make  it  the  great  task  of  their  life  was :  pity  for  poor  neglected  chil- 
dren, and  the  hope  of  saving  them  by  the  influence  of  love,  atten- 
tion to  their  moral  and  mental  wants,  and  by  good  example.  It  may 
be  surmised  that  this  voluntary  sacrifice  in  behalf  of  the  poor  was 
not  a  lucrative  business,  but  one  of  hard  labor  and  frequent  disap- 
pointment. 

It  was  fortunate  that  both  men  were  then,  and  throughout  their 
whole  career,  assisted  and  comforted  by  noble  wives,  who  had  mind 
and  heart  enough  to  sympathize  with  the  aspirations  of  their  hus- 
bands, and  to  condone  their  failings  in  wordly  or  personal  matters. 

They  both  were  privileged  to  witness  the  success  of  their  work, 
and  have  the  consciousness  in  their  old  age  that  they  would  be  re- 
membered by  thousands  of  affectionate  pupils  and  friends  of  educa- 
tion after  their  departure  from  this  earth. 


APPENDIX  .251 

Both  have  statues  erected  to  their  memory — Pestalozzi  sixty 
years  after  his  death,  Sheldon  after  three  years.  A  statue,  it  is  true, 
does  not  warrant  perpetual  remembrance.  The  only  imperishable 
monument  consists  in  a  work  which  from  simple  beginning  or  seed 
spreads  out  to  a  noble  tree,  whose  fruit  will  always  remind  a  grate- 
ful posterity  of  the  seed  from  which  it  sprang,  and  of  the  gardener 
who  took  care  of  it  in  its  tender  years. 

A  nervous  organization  and  very  susceptible  temper  caused  Pes- 
talozzi to  be  sensitive,  restless,  alternately  enthusiastic  and  despond- 
ent during  all  his  life;  while  Mr.  Sheldon  always  retained  a  calm, 
equable  disposition  and  manner. 

Pestalozzi  exercised  a  great  magnetic  power  by  the  fervor  of 
his  feelings,  and  by  the  enthusiasm  with  which  he  proclaimed  the 
principles  of  his  method.  Although  it  would  be  presumptuous  to 
call  him  the  original  discoverer  of  these  principles,  he  and  his  asso- 
ciates have  at  least  the  merit  of  having  devised  the  proper  means  by 
which  a  distinct  objective  view  of  a  subject  was  first  impressed  on 
the  pupils,  and  then  made  the  basis  for  further  development. 

Mr.  Sheldon  made  use  of  these  means,  whenever  he  found  them 
conducive  to  progress,  and  hence  modestly  declined  the  honor  of 
having  originated  a  method,  such  as  the  foolish  expression  of  "Os- 
wego system,"  or  the  even  worse  one,  "Oswego  idea,"  would  seem 
to  imply. 

On  the  other  hand,  he  introduced  reforms  in  the  conduct  and 
management  of  the  Practice  school,  and  in  the  supervision  and  criti- 
cism of  its  teachers,  which  have  supplied  a  model  to  other  Normal 
Schools  in  the  country. 

One  great  difference  between  the  two  educators  consists  in  the 
different  character  of  the  work  assigned  to  them.  Pestalozzi  had 
during  all  his  life  the  management  of  a  private  school,  which  gave 
him  undoubtedly  more  liberty  for  making  experiments  with  his  pupils 
than  was  granted  to  Mr.  Sheldon,  who,  as  superintendent  of  city 
schools  and  principal  of  a  State  Normal  School,  had  to  be  more 
cautious  in  the  selection  and  treatment  of  subjects,  so  as  to  satisfy 
the  school  authorities  and  the  public. 

Both  men,  it  is  true,  received  liberal  support ;  Pestalozzi  by 
the  approval  and  adoption  of  his  system  by  distinguished  scholars, 
which  led  to  its  introduction  into  the  public  schools  at  the  command 
of  the  King  of  Prussia  and  other  princes;  Sheldon  by  liberal  grants 


252  APPENDIX 

given  to  his  school  and  to  other  normal  schools  partly  organized  on 
the  model  of  his. 

Finally,  it  would  be  wrong,  in  regard  to  the  religious  belief 
of  these  men,  to  lay  too  much  stress  on  outward  manifestations  dic- 
tated by  creed  or  sect.  Both  were  one  in  holding  to  the  essentials 
of  true  religion :  Faith  in  God  and  Love  for  their  fellow  men. 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  LIBRARY 

Los  Angeles 
This  book  is  DUE  on  the  last  date  stamped  below. 


MAY  6      1950 

SUBJECT  TO  FINE  1 

EDUCATIO 

•  NOT  RETURNED  T( 

N  LIBRARY 

APR  21   ?9^1; 

mU  2119521 

^c>*  ^^X. 

FEB  1      1954 

'«6m 

M/VY171957 

:;.AY  2     1959 
JUL  8     1959 

•» 

JULl  5  1959 

JWLl  7  1959 

9.^iS>^b^fej 

I 

1^9    "^'^-IPM 

tU/PSYCH  LIB. 

Form  L9 — 15m^l0,'48(B1039)444 


THE  LIBRARY 

UNIVEESnT  or  CALIFOSNIA 

LOS  AxNGSJSS 


UCLA-ED/PSYCH  Library 

LB  1921  08S5 


L  005  635  018  4 


Education 
Librar:' 

LB 

1921 

«tS5 


